½ teaspoon of red chili flakes (to taste – this is not a spicy dish)
1 teaspoon pinch salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 - 28 ounce can of chopped tomatoes
8-12 cups of chicken or vegetable broth, more if necessary
1 cup of half and half
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
2 loaves of day-old Italian bread – or thick bread crumbs
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot
Add garlic and onions and a pinch of salt
Sauté garlic and onions for several minutes, until onions are soft, be careful not to brown the garlic (low heat)
Add carrots, celery, fennel and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally
Add cabbage, sprigs of thyme, chili flakes, salt and pepper – this will fill the pan and will reduce as it cooks
Stir and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, until the cabbage begins to get soft
Add tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until the flavors start to mix together
Add chicken broth to cover all of the veggies and simmer for 30 minutes, until all of the veggies are tender, continue to add chicken broth as necessary to keep the veggies covered
Once the veggies are very soft, take off the stove and either use an immersion blender, food processor or blender to blend the soup into a coarse puree – this will be the final texture – so puree to your taste
When the soup is pureed to your liking, add the half and half for a rich and creamy taste or use the remaining broth, your soup is complete and ready to serve
Serves 15 – 20
Recipe by Mama Caruso Cooks at https://mamacarusocooks.com/ribollita-soup/