Ingredients
- cranberry beans or pinto beans3 cup
- spelt or wheat berries, available at gourmet-food shops1 cup
- extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling1/4 cup
- sweet Italian sausage, casings removed1/2 lb
- kale, preferably Tuscan; coarse stems removed; cut into thick ribbons1 lb
- onion, medium-large; diced1
- carrot, large; peeled and diced1
- celery, large; trimmed and diced1 stalk
- garlic, thinly sliced3 clove
- chicken stock, homemade or canned low-sodium; plus more if needed5 cup
- tomato, peeled, seeded and diced, or drained canned diced tomatoes1 cup
- rosemary, fresh1 sprig
- sage, fresh1 sprig
- sea salt and pepper, freshly ground pepper
- parmigiano-reggiano, freshly grated1/2 cup
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 16 steps
Soak beans and spelt overnight in separate bowls of cold water.
Drain and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add sausage.
Cook stirring occasionally, until meat begins to separate and brown (3–5 minutes).
Stir in kale, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.
Cook until softened (about 10 minutes).
Add beans, spelt, chicken stock, and tomatoes.
Bring to boil.
Stir in rosemary and sage.
Reduce heat.
Simmer mixture for 60–70 minutes, until beans are tender; if soup is too thick, add chicken stock.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle soup into bowls.
Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle on cheese.
Serve immediately.
