Bula-Buongiorno everybody!
I'm back too! Well I haven't really been away - 'cept for 2 days in Rome with my little sister ( it was great!!)
I am just up from my afternoon read, which in this heat (35 degs today) turns into a wee zzz-nap.
It was great to see the AB's beat England in their matches! Well done, boys!
Husband is away in the UK to meet a NZ friend & see some cars whizz around a track; both arrive here tomorrow, and I'm so pleased the weather is good. The place looks terrific as we had some big rain about 2 weeks ago. Had my first swim at the beach yesterday.
The vines are so green & lush, the deep red cherries are ripe & the jasmine & linden flowers are perfuming the air. Absolute heaven.
I know you're having a cold start esp Otago, as I read NZ Herald every morning. Do hope it eases up for you.
Here's a recipe for 'Ribollita' a traditional Tuscan soup, good hearty winter food & easily adapted to KISS, don't you reckon? Carolyn's probably already got a version in her books. You could even add a chopped tasty Italian sausage...
dribble dribble!
Ribollita Soup -A Recipe from Tuscany
This recipe can be traced back to the traditional Italian style of peasant cooking when ingenuity was necessary to feed your family, and every little scrap of food was used.
The three main ingredients always found in any variation of ribollita are stale bread, homemade broth, and cooked beans. Despite its humble beginnings, every restaurant in Tuscany seems to have its own version of this soup on the menu. Ribollita can be a first course, main course, or a filling meal at lunch. Generally, as with many Tuscan soups, ribollita is served at room temperature with a drizzle of good olive oil on top.
Serves 6
1 Medium Onion, Finely Chopped
3 Medium Carrots, Finely Chopped
2 Medium Celery Stalks, Finely Chopped
2 Cloves Of Garlic, Minced
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Medium Zucchini, Coarsely Chopped
3 Cups Greens (Chard, Mustard Greens, or Spinach), Shredded
1 (19oz.) Can White Beans, Drained
1 (19oz) Can Tomatoes
3 Cups Chicken (or Vegetable) Broth
Salt & Pepper
1 Bunch Parsley, Chopped
2 Cups Day Old Italian Bread, Cut Into Cubes
*Optional Toppings:*
Pesto
Olive Oil
Shaved Parmesan
Saut? the onions, celery, garlic and carrots in olive oil until tender. Add the tomatoes, zucchini, parsley and greens, and then add just enough broth to cover. Cover, and cook for about ? hour. Add the white beans and cook an additional 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the bread cubes and simmer until almost dissolved and then use a whisk to completely mix in the bread. Serve soup at room temperature, drizzled with a little pesto mixed with olive oil, and some parmesan shavings.
**
Carolyn's getting me hooked up so I too can have a hippo-chart soon. No photos I'm afraid; we have Broadband now (Yippee!!) and the computer has been adjusted - I can't find space to plug in my camera - D'Oh! Will ask Husband to figure it out.
Ciao ciao a tutti,
See you soon on the road to a resounding slimming success!
