Best Tuscan Olive Harvest Ribolita Recipes

FRIED TUSCAN OLIVES

Steps:

• Add enough oil to fill a large, heavy Dutch oven a third of the way and heat to 350 degrees F.
• Add the sausage, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon parsley and the red pepper flakes to a bowl and mix well. Add to a piping bag with a plain tip.
• Drain the olives and dry them very well with paper towels or a clean tea towel. Pipe the sausage filling into each olive.
• Add the flour to a casserole dish and season with salt and pepper. In a second casserole dish, beat the eggs. In a third casserole dish, add the breadcrumbs, the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, season with salt and pepper and whisk together.
• Dredge each stuffed olive first through the flour, shaking to remove any excess, then through the egg and then into the breadcrumbs. Pack the breadcrumbs around each olive if necessary. Add to a clean plate. You can refrigerate them now if you are prepping for a party.
• Fry the olives, in batches, until golden and crisp and the pork is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

TUSCAN RIBOLLITA SOUP

Steps:

• Fit food processor with the steel blade attachment. With the motor running, drop garlic through the feed tube and allow it to mince. Drop in carrot and celery and allow to finely chop. Pieces should be the size of a pea or smaller. Set aside. Return the food processor bowl to the machine and add the onion chunks. Close the lid and pulse only until the onion is roughly chopped into medium-small pieces like a rustic dice.)
• Heat ½ cup olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium- high heat. Add the chopped carrot mixture, chopped onions and salt and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables and onions are starting to take on brown color and the bottom of the pot is forming a golden browned patina (fond), 8 to 12 minutes.
• Increase heat to high and add in wine and bring to a simmer. Reduce the wine until it almost evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour in broth, water and tomatoes. Stir in cannellini beans, potatoes, cabbage and kale and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the potatoes are fork tender, 50 to 70 minutes.
• Stir the breadcrumbs into the soup along with the parsley, thyme and rosemary. Simmer again, pressing the potatoes and bread into the side of the soup pot to mash them with the spoon. Cook until the bread has almost dissolved, and the soup is very thick, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the soup from the heat. Stir in basil.
• Ladle ribollita into bowls and top with pepper and Pecorino. Serve with extra-virgin olive oil drizzled on top.

TUSCAN-STYLE RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole over a medium heat and fry the onion, celery and carrot with a pinch of salt for 15 mins until soft. Add the garlic and chilli flakes, and cook for 1 min.
• Stir in the rosemary sprig, tomatoes, stock, beans and parmesan rind, if using, and bring to a simmer. Add the cavolo and cook, covered, for 10 mins. Stir through the bread and cook for several minutes more to warm through, then add the vinegar and season. Spoon into bowls, drizzle with a little more oil and sprinkle with the basil, if using, and the grated cheese.