Zuppa frantoiana (Tuscan bean and vegetable soup)

Name: Zuppa frantoiana (Tuscan bean and vegetable soup)
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 250g dried borlotti beans, soaked overnight, drained; 2 fresh bay leaves; 3 parsley stalks; 1 shallot, halved; 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve; 1 onion, roughly diced; 2 stalks of celery, roughly diced; 1 carrot, roughly diced; 1 sprig rosemary; pinch dried red chilli flakes; good pinch sea salt; 450g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 4cm pieces; 2 potatoes (about 250g in total), peeled and cut into 4cm pieces; 100g cavolo nero leaves, thick ribs removed, roughly chopped

Julia Busuttil Nishimura

June 23, 2023

Time:2 hours +Serves:4-6

When I lived in Tuscany, our kitchen had a brass tap which protruded from the kitchen wall. Behind it sat a large, concealed vat of extra virgin olive oil. While cooking, you would simply open the tap and a golden stream would pour into your saucepan or vessel; it was pure joy. Harvest time, when the oil is green, was a very special occasion and deserved to be celebrated.

This Tuscan soup is particularly popular when the fruit has just been picked and pressed and the oil is incredibly fresh, as it is now in Australia. Seek out the most recently pressed local extra virgin olive oil you can find for this seasonal soup.

Ingredients

250g dried borlotti beans, soaked overnight, drained
2 fresh bay leaves
3 parsley stalks
1 shallot, halved
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 onion, roughly diced
2 stalks of celery, roughly diced
1 carrot, roughly diced
1 sprig rosemary
pinch dried red chilli flakes
good pinch sea salt
450g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 4cm pieces
2 potatoes (about 250g in total), peeled and cut into 4cm pieces
100g cavolo nero leaves, thick ribs removed, roughly chopped

Method

Step 1
Place the beans in a large saucepan with the bay leaves, parsley stalks, shallot and 2 litres of cold water over a high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce and cook for 45 minutes until al dente (about 1 hour). Remove and discard the bay leaf and parsley stalks. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking water. Puree half of the beans with the reserved cooking water, then set aside.
Step 2
In a large saucepan, warm the oil over a medium heat and gently fry the onion, celery, carrot, rosemary and dried chilli with a good pinch of sea salt until soft and beginning to colour (about 15 minutes). Add the pumpkin and potatoes along with 1½ litres of water and cook until they are tender (about 40-45 minutes).
Step 3
Add the cooked whole beans, pureed beans and cavolo nero. Continue cooking for a further 10 minutes or until the cavolo nero is tender and the soup is thick. If at any point the soup becomes too thick, simply top up with a little extra water. Check the seasoning and serve drizzled with plenty of extra virgin olive oil.