Ribolitta with Stuffed Zucchinis

The other weekend I was looking for something hearty, but simple to make. At last year's soup swap, Heather and Lou dazzled us with their tall cylindrical containers of Ribolitta, a filling Italian bean and bread soup. Perhaps I should call it "RiboLEEta" since Lee is Heather's last name! Whatever way you spell it, they were kind enough to attach the recipe in a snazzy little handmade booklet. Not only did I keep (and still use) the container, you better believe I held on to the blue booklet too. It came in handy that Sunday evening and will definitely be used again. This soup was so filling that, as a carnivore, I kept thinking there was meat in it, but it was the beans, bread, and veggies satisfying my appetite. I also used the food processor to pretty much mince the onion, carrots, and celery, which gave the overall texture a bulkier feel as well. The few changes I made are noted in the recipe below, but you can't lose whether you stick to the base recipe or choose to improvise.

So what about that lead photo up there, you ask? Well, we decided to go a little further with the Italian theme by adding an accompaniment of little stuffed zucchinis. They're really like mini zuke sandwiches without bread. This was Margaret's own (slightly healthier) spin on a pan-fried Michael Chiarello recipe she saw for saltimbocca. After she made these a few weeks ago, I'd been on a mission to find a reason to ask her to make them again. The Ribolitta was the perfect excuse. These two dishes hold their own individually, but they also make one perfect meal together.

Ribolitta
Serves 4

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves
1 medium onion, diced (I minced 2)
2 carrots, diced (I minced 4)
2 ribs celery, diced (I minced 4)
2 dried bay leaves
1 (28 oz) can small white beans
6 c chicken or vegetable stock
2 c tomato sauce
2 c stale Italian bread, torn into pieces
(I used fresh sundried tomato bread w/crust)
salt & pepper
1 c parmigiano-reggiano (garnish)

1. At medium heat add oil, garlic, onion, carrots, bay leaves, and celery to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes.

2. Add beans, stock, tomato sauce and bring to boil.

3. Remove lid and stir in bread. Remove bay leaves.

4. Serve in bowls, topped with grated parmigiano-reggiano.

Stuffed Zucchinis
Makes 16; serves 4

4 medium zucchini
8 slices of pancetta, cooked and halved (or use proscuitto, bacon or turkey bacon)
½ cup shredded cheese (ideally a blend of pecorino romano, mozzarella, and fontina)
¼ cup parmigiano reggiano, grated
all-purpose flour for dredging
olive oil
salt and pepper
flat-leaf parsley

1. Cut the zucchini lengthwise into ¼-inch pieces, trimming off the rounded edges. You should have an even number of slices, about 16. Sprinkle the zucchini slices with kosher salt and sit them in a large bowl for about an hour, so all bitterness is drawn out of the zucchini.

2. Rinse the zucchini and dry with a clean towel, then lay out slices on a large sheet pan and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper.

3. Layer half of the zucchini slices with a sprinkling of the cheeses, then cover with a piece of prosciutto, sprinkle with more cheese, then top with the rest of the zucchini slices, making zucchini “sandwiches”.

4. Spoon flour onto a plate and season with salt and pepper, then dip both sides of the zucchini “sandwiches” in the flour, tapping the “sandwiches” to rid of any excess flour. The zucchini should have a fine, even coating of flour.

5. When ready to cook, heat a grill pan or non-stick frying pan and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Cook the zucchini “sandwiches” just until browned, about 2-3 min. on each side, flipping only once halfway through. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve!