Sausage Ribollita

Ingredients

• 45 mL (3 tbsp) olive oil
• 4 fennel sausages, casings removed
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp dried red chili flakes
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 x 398 mL (14 oz) can whole tomatoes
• 1 L (4 cups) chicken stock
• 1 x 398 mL (14 oz) can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups chopped black kale
• 4 large slices day-old bread, torn into 4 cm (1½-inch) pieces
• 50 g (½ cup) freshly grated Pecorino Romano

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat and cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until golden brown and cooked through.
2. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to colour. Add the garlic, chili flakes, rosemary and thyme and cook for another 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Gently crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add them, along with their juices, to the pot. Add the chicken stock and beans and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, until the flavours have come together and the soup has slightly reduced. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add the kale and cook for 5–8 minutes, until tender. Remove and discard the rosemary and thyme stems.
5. Arrange the torn bread in serving bowls and generously spoon the hot ribollita over top. Let stand for 1–2 minutes so the bread begins to absorb the broth, then finish with the Pecorino Romano and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.