Method
This thrifty Italian soup combines leftovers into a new meal. Traditionally, stale bread was added as a bulker, but can get a bit mushy – I’d rather have the texture of a crispy croûton.
My speedy pesto does away with the pestle and mortar. Think of it less as a paste, more as a pesto-esque garnish.
To make the croûtons, preheat the oven to 200˚C (Gas Mark 6). Toss the bread with oil and salt on a shallow baking tray.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp. (These can be stored in an airtight container.)
For the ribollita, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan.
Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook gently over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until starting to soften.
Add the garlic, rosemary and bay leaf to the saucepan. Cook for 2 minutes more, then stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, vinegar, beans and stock. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir the kale into the stew and cook gently for a further 20 minutes.
While the soup cooks, place the basil leaves on a chopping board with the pine nuts, garlic and lemon zest. Chop everything together until you have a crumbly green pile.
Place it in a bowl and stir in the oil.
When the soup is cooked, taste and tweak the seasoning to your liking. Serve with a tumble of croûtons and plenty of pesto on top.
Dirty Vegan by Matt Pritchard is published by Mitchell Beazley, £20. Photography by Jamie Orlando Smith and Chris Terry. Dirty Vegan is on BBC One Wales and available on BBC iPlayer in January 2019.
Visit our soup section for more delicious recipe ideas