This time of year is also we when we do some of the heavy lifting in the garden. So right now we are giving our olive trees a little much needed love and care - it's been a few years since we last gave them a serious pruning.
Normally it's a little bit early, as you don't want really cold and frosty weather, when you do the pruning - but with these spring like temperatures - we thought we would get a head start.
When spending most of the day in the garden, we like to stock the fridge with lots of easy to go lunches - and what is more filling, warming and delicious, than a big bowl of soup.
One of our favorite soups is the classic tuscan Ribollita - basically a minetrone with plenty of cavolo nero - the black kale of Tuscany, that has been reheated and thickened with lots of bread and served with a generous dose of spicy olive oil.
The story goes, that the family had minestrone one night and there were some leftovers. Not enough for the next day - so lots of stale bread were added to the soup, to thicken the soup and to feed the family. These days it's a classic served all over Tuscany - sometimes it's soupy, other times it's so thick, you eat it with a fork. If you like the traditional condiment, besides the oil, is lots of raw red onions on top.
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + extra to serve
1 celery, just the pale tender parts, chopped and leaves set aside
1/2 celeriac, chopped
3 red onions, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 handful parsley, chopped
800 g tinned tomatoes
750 g cavolo nero, steams removes and leaves roughly chopped
200 g dried bolotti beans, soaked overnight and cooked, save the cooking water
1 small day old loaf of sour dough, crust removed and teared into small pieces
sea salt and black pepper
In a large pan heat the olive oil and saute celery, celeriac, onions, carrots, garlic, pasley and celery leaves on medium to low heat for 30 minutes without taking any colour.
Add the tinned tomatoes and break them up with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook for a further 30 minutes. Add cavolo nero and let it wilt down for a few minutes.
Pour in the preserved cooking water from the beans. It should just cover - if you need more liquid, pour in water to cover. Bring to the boil and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile pure half the beans.
Once the soup is done, add the whole beans and the pure together with the bread. Give it a good stir - if too thick, you can add a little water.
Season with salt and pepper - and maybe a touch of lemon juice.
This is one of those soups, that just keeps getting better - so a great dish to cook the night before and have ready to feed a crowd.
When serving be generous with the olive oil on each plate.