Tuscan Broccoli Rabe Winter Soup

Ingredients

• 1 bunch broccoli rabe, washed and shredded in pieces
• 2 cups cannellini or borlotti beans - cooked
• 4 cups bean cooking water
• 1 medium blond onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, inside green part removed and chopped finely
• 2 medium potatoes peeled and cubed small
• 1 cup squash, peeled, deseeded and cut in small cubes
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut in small cubes
• 5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil to drizzle on the soup for garnish
• 2 cups Surdough bread cut in pieces to serve

Directions

• 1.

  Cook the beans with no salt until tender but not falling apart. Strain the beans reserving the cooking liquid. Reserve 1/4 of the beans whole. Purée the remaining 3/4 in a blender, adding enough cooking liquid. Reserve the remaining cooking liquid for the soup.

• 2.

  Cut up the potatoes, carrot and squash in small pieces. Slice the onion and chop the garlic. Wash the broccoli rabe leaves and shred in pieces.

• 3.

  In a large pot, add olive oil, the sliced onion and garlic and fry 2 minutes until translucent. Add the potatoes, carrot and squash. Stir and add 2 cups of the beans cooking water. Add a little salt and cook covered for 10 minutes.

• 4.

  Add the whole beans and the puréed beans, check the salt and cook for a further 15 minutes. Add more cooking liquid if necessary.

• 5.

  Add the broccoli rabe and cook for 8 to 10 minutes - don't cover the pot because it makes the broccoli rabe turn brownish.

• 6.

  Add a dash of freshly ground black pepper and mix.

• 7.

  Serve with some cubed sourdough bread and garnish with a drizzle of Olive Oil.