La Ribollita - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dried cannellini beans
1 small onion (diced)
2 carrots (diced)
2 stalks celery (diced)
1 leek (white part only, diced)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
3 small white potatoes (diced)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (14 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 loaf stale round Italian bread (diced into cubes)
1/4 savoy cabbage (diced)
1/2 red leaf kale (diced)
3 tablespoons italian seasoning
salt and pepper
parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Preparation

Soak beans in a pot for 24 hours in 6 cups of water.
Soften beans by gently boiling for 1 hour (use the same water they were soaking in as this becomes the base of your stock).
Remove beans from water (retain water) set half aside the beans as is, puree the other half in a blender.
In a large soup pot, add olive oil. Saute onions and leaks till they soften.
Add carrots, celery and garlic. Saute for about 10 minutes.
Add bean stock, cabbage, and kale, simmer for 20 minutes.
Add bread, potatoes, the can of tomatoes, the beans(both whole and the puree) and seasonings and simmer for about 45- 60 minutes until the soup thickens and take on a uniform consistency.
Serve in bowls and sprinkle cheese on top.