Hearty Tuscan Ribollita with Lacinato Kale

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the carrots, celery, and a pinch of salt. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the cubed potato.

Pour in the hand-crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and add the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, and Parmigiano rind. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer.

Take one can of the cannellini beans and mash them to a smooth paste with a fork. Stir the mashed beans into the pot -- these will dissolve into the broth and give the soup its characteristic creamy body. Add the remaining whole beans.

Add the chopped kale in large handfuls, stirring each batch in to wilt before adding the next. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kale is very tender and the potato is falling apart.

Remove the herb sprigs, bay leaf, and Parmigiano rind. Stir in the torn bread chunks, pushing them down into the liquid so they absorb the broth. Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bread has broken down and thickened the soup into a porridge-like consistency.

Remove from heat, cover, and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Ribollita improves as it sits -- the bread continues to absorb liquid and the flavors deepen.

Reheat gently if needed (this is literally a "reboiled" soup, after all). Ladle into deep bowls and finish each serving with a generous pour of your best extra virgin olive oil, freshly cracked pepper, and a few shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano.