Ribollita

Method

1. Finely chop the carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Put a large lidded saucepan over a low-medium heat, add the oil, then the chopped vegetables. Tie the bay, rosemary, thyme and sage together with string to make a bouquet garni, then throw that in the pan too with the salt and pepper. Cook slowly for 35-45 minutes, stirring every now and then, until the vegetables are caramelised and starting to turn jammy.
2. Add the tomatoes, turn up the heat to medium-high and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. Drain and rinse the beans, then add them to the pan with 600ml water. (you could also use vegetable stock or chicken stock if you have it). Cover and cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the lid, add the cavolo nero and continue to simmer until it’s the consistency of a thick soup. Meanwhile, cut your stale bread into large chunks.
4. Remove the pan from the heat, check for seasoning and adjust to your taste. Add a splash of red wine vinegar and the bread and let them sit in the liquid for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls (discarding the bouquet garni) and drizzle with a nice glug of olive oil, a crack of black pepper and parmesan (if using).