Minestra di Pane

Minestra di Pane is one of the most famous Florentine dishes. 

It’s a poor dish and has its origins in the Middleage when the pilgrims indulge on this dish during their redemption journey towards the jubilee mete.

This is a very healthy dish which can be enjoyed with a slice of toasted Tuscan bread.

Download recipe card

Ingredients

2 cups cannellini beans, uncooked

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large red onion, sliced

1 leek, finely trimmed

2 sliced of Tuscan ham, minced (optional)

1 celery stalk, diced 

5 potatoes, diced

2 carrots, diced 

5 courgettes, diced

2 cup peas 

1 Savoy cabbage, shredded 

1 bunch spinach, shredded 

4 tablespoons tomato passata 

salt to taste and

pepper (optional) to taste

250gr stale Tuscan bread 

Description

Soak the beans for at least 12 hours.

Rinse the beans well and put them in a pan with the bay leaf and some salt. Cover them with 500ml of fresh water and bring it to boil. Skim the foam forming on the surface and turn down the heat to the minimum. Cook over a very gentle heat for approximately 1 hours. 

(In alternative you can use canned beans)

In a different pan, gently sauté the onion and leeks, with a handful of diced potatoes in olive oil for 10 minutes paying attention they do not stick to the pan. 

Add the celery, carrots, the remaining potatoes and courgettes. Allow them to sweat out their juice.

Add all the cabbage, spinach, peas, beans, tomato passata, salt and pepper and then add the beans’ broth (or water if you are using canned beans).

Cover the pan and simmer for an hour and a half over low heat. 

Uncover the pan and leave to simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the soup to stick to the bottom of the pan.