Ribollita

The Base

1 lb dried zolfini or cannellini (white kidney) beans
2 Tbsp good fruity virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4-5 fresh sage leaves
freshly ground black pepper
salt

Wash and sort the beans, pulling out stones and discolored beans. Soak overnight as you would any dried beans. Pour off the soaking water and rinse the beans (this cuts down on the gas factor). Put the beans (with fresh water to cover well), pepper, olive oil, garlic, and sage into the crock pot on high. Cook 8-12 hours. When beans are tender and fully cooked, remove one cup whole beans. Puree the remaining beans, garlic, and sage in the cooking liquid. Salt lightly. (You can't salt dried beans before you cook them - it makes the skins tough.)

The Stew

1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium yellow onions
2 carrots
2 ribs celery
2 potatoes
1 large bunch of swiss chard
1 bunch kale (black kale is really good in this, if you can find it)
1/2 small savoy cabbage
1 can chopped Italian plum tomatoes
3 slices day old bread (staler the better)
salt and pepper

Peel and chop onions. Add to large pot with olive oil and cook until softened and browned. Wash and chop the remaining vegetables, adding them to the pot. Cook them until the greens wilt. Add the bean puree from the base recipe. Simmer the stew for about an hour, until the vegetables are very tender. Add the reserved whole beans and the bread. Salt and pepper to taste. You can eat the soup like this, but the re-heating is what makes it that much better.

Ladle the soup into a earthenware or terra cotta baker (I think Corningware would work fine, I just happen to have a terra cotta baker, and that is the way it is traditionally made). Heat in the oven for about an hour at 375 F, until bubbling. Stir occasionally for the first half hour, but during the last 30 minutes, let a crust bake onto the top of the stew. Serve drizzled with good virgin olive oil ( it really makes a huge difference).

Enjoy!