Serves 8

Ingredients

8 ounces (225 grams) dried white cannellini beans or 1-½ cups canned cannellini
¾ cup olive oil
2 medium-size yellow onions, finely chopped
3 ribs celery, diced
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons warm water
3 ripe medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
3 bunches Swiss chard (about 3 pounds or 1-½ kilograms), stems trimmed, leaved chopped
1 bunch kale, stems trimmed, leaves removed
½ cabbage, finely shredded
4 medium-size potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 fresh small chile, seeded and chopped or 1 teaspoon dried flaked chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
5 to 6 cups cold water
12 to 16 slices stale bread
exra-virgin olive oil for garnish

Directions

If you are using dried beans, soak the beans overnight in water to cover, then drain. Heat the beans and fresh water to cover over high heat to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until tender, about 1-½ hours. Drain the beans but reserve the cooking liquid. Puree three quarters of the cooked beans with a little bit of the cooking liquid or three quarters of the canned beans in a little of their liquid in a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in a blender. Reserve the remaining whole beans.

Heat ½ cup oil in a heavy large pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and saute until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Thin the tomato paste with the 2 teaspoons water and add the thinned paste and the fresh tomatoes to the vegetables. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the chard, kale, cabbage, potatoes, pureed and whole beans, the chile, garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining bean cooking or canned liquid and enough of the cold water to cover the vegetables. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered about 2 hours.

Just before serving, grill or toast 2 slices of bread for every serving. You can saute the bread in the remaining ¼ cup oil, or brush one side of each slice with the oil and bake on a baking sheet at 400°F. until golden, or brush the bread with oil and grill under a broiler or over an open fire. Place the bread in the bottom of wide soup bowls and ladle the soup over the bread. Drizzle a fine thread or two of good Tuscan olive oil over each serving. Most Tuscans so not serve Parmesan cheese with this bean soup.