Ribolitta

It's so cold outside... What a great week for soup!

Ribolitta in Italian means to re-boil or re-cook. This soup is great to make a day ahead and re-heat the next day for the best flavor. I had a small bowl the same day I made it and it was good, but the next day it was delicious!

Again, Ribolitta is a recipe from Giada DiLaurentiis. She served hers with garlic rubbed and toasted ciabatta rolls. I decided to serve mine with mini gorgonzola pizzas and I just altered a few things in the recipe to my own preferences.
Enjoy it, I know I did.

Ribollita (with my changes)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
3 ounces canadian bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, 1 minced and 1 whole
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed
1 (15-ounce) can cannelloni beans, drained
1/2 tablespoon herbs de Provence
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus one whole sprig
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 (3-inch) piece Parmesan rind
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Mini Pizzas
1 bag of bread/pizza dough
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces gorgonzola cheese

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, pancetta, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is golden brown and the pancetta is crisp, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until dissolved. Add tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Add the spinach, beans, herbs, stock, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F .

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and shape into small rounds. Flour a work surface and roll out the dough rounds to desired thickness. Press your fingertips into the top to form small indentations. Brush with olive oil and bake at 500º for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Top with gorgonzola cheese and a little more olive oil and re-bake for another 5-7 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.