Ribollita

Ingredients

• 1 large laurel leaf dried fresh
• 3 cups chewy bread italian stale
• 2 cans beans white such as goya brand, cannellini beans may be substituted but look for cans marked "small beans" on international foods aisle of market
• 2  carrots diced peeled
• 2 ribs celery chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock see 
• 4 servings coarse salt and pepper black freshly ground
• 4 large cloves garlic chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin for drizzling at the table
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 cup parmigiano-reggiano grated for garnish
• 2 cups tomato sauce 
• 1 small onion white thinly sliced finely chopped for garnish

Equipment

• bowl
• pot

Directions

1. Heat a deep, heavy bottomed pot over moderate heat.
2. Add oil, garlic, onions, carrots, celery and bay to the pot. Season vegetables with salt and pepper and saute until they begin to soften 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add beans, stock and tomato sauce. Bring soup to a boil over medium high heat.
4. Remove lid and stir in torn stale bread. Stir soup and incorporate bread as it breaks down. When soup is becomes thick and bread is distributed evenly, adjust seasoning and serve the soup in shallow bowls. Some ribolittas are so thick, the spoon can stand upright. This is a subjective technique. Make yours as thick or thin, as you like with the addition of either more bread or additional stock or water.
5. Top shallow bowlfuls of soup with thinly sliced or finely chopped raw onion, a drizzle of extra- virgin olive oil and a generous sprinkling of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.