Serves: 8
Total Calories: 432

4 cups homemade Chicken Broth or Meat Broth or or a mix of half store-bought broth and half water
1/4 cup olive oil
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 pounds peeled, seeded and chopped fresh tomatoes or 1 1/2 cups canned Italian peeled tomatoes with their juice, chopped
3 cups drained cooked dried or canned cannellini beans
2 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium zucchini, chopped
1 pound cabbage or kale, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
8 ounces (about) day-old Italian breads, thinly sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil
Very thin slices red onion (optional)

1 Prepare the broth, if necessary. Then, pour the olive oil into a large pot. Add the celery, carrots, garlic, onion, and herbs. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until the celery and other aromatics are tender and golden, about 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook 10 minutes.

2 Stir in the beans, remaining vegetables, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the broth and water to just cover. Bring to a simmer. Cook gently, over very low heat, until the vegetables are tender, about 2 hours. Let cool slightly, then if not using right away, store in the refrigerator overnight or up to 2 days.

3 When ready to serve, pour about 4 cups of the soup into a blender or food processor. Puree the soup, then transfer it to a pot along with the remaining soup. Reheat gently.

4 Choose a soup tureen or pot large enough to hold the bread and soup. Place a layer of bread slices on the bottom. Spoon on enough of the soup to cover the bread completely. Repeat the layering until all of soup is used and the bread is soaked. Let stand at least 20 minutes. It should be very thick.

5 Stir the soup to break up the bread. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the red onion. Serve warm or at room temperature.

From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 8
Total Calories: 432
Calories from Fat: 133

More Recipes from the Cook'n in Italy Cookbook:
* Soups
Antonietta’s Bean Soup
Bean and Mushroom Soup
Bread Noodles in Broth
Chicken Broth
Chickpea Soup from Puglia
Chickpea and Pasta Soup
Chunky Fish Soup
Cooked Water Soup
Creamy Bean Soup
Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Creamy Fennel Soup
Creamy Mushroom Soup
Egg Crepes in Broth
Egg Soup from Pavia
Escarole and Little Meatballs Soup
Fontina, Bread, and Cabbage Soup
Friulian Barley and Bean Soup
Green Bean and Sausage Soup
Leek, Tomato, and Bread Soup
Lentil and Fennel Soup
Lentil and Greens Soup
Ligurian Chickpea and Porcini Soup
Married Soup
Meat Broth
Milan-Style Pasta and Beans
Mushroom and Potato Soup
Mussels and Clams in Tomato Broth
Pasta and Beans
Pureed Lentil Soup with Croutons
Red Pepper Soup
Roman Egg Drop Soup
Seafood, Pasta, and Bean Soup
Semolina Fritters in Broth
Sicilian Tomato Barley Soup
Spinach, Lentil, and Rice Soup
Tuscan Bread and Vegetable Soup
Tuscan Fish Soup
Tyrolean Bread Dumplings
Vegetable Soup with Pesto
Winter Squash Soup
Zucchini Pesto Soup
Zucchini and Potato Soup
Zucchini and Tomato Soup