A bowl of warm ribollita is a lot like a grandmother’s hug. A staple for the Italian peasants, it is delicious, cheap, hearty and nutritious. This thick Tuscan soup is prepared with leftover bread, beans and a plethora of vegetables that include onions, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, celery, beans and large amounts of garlic. The cannellini beans and vegetables are simmered for a good amount of time and several spices are added followed by chunks of stale bread which then thickens the broth. The result is a silky, glossy mixture that tastes fantastic and gives you all the energy in the world.

While the name literally means reboiling, this soup dates back to the middle ages where slaves prepared and consumed it for nourishment. Today, the good old ribollita makes it to the menus of most fancy restaurants across Italy and a handful abroad. Time does fly and how! It has no pasta, it definitely is no minestrone, but there is something special about the flavour. It is unique and comforting in its own ways, even more than the classic chicken soup. My idea of an idyllic cold winter’s night is snuggling up with a pot of steaming ribollita, a glass of the sweetest, finest Italian red wine and a good book. It works like magic and can drive all your sorrows away.