Ribollita (Italian Bread Soup) and Kale Pockets

This soup uses lots of greens. My original plan was to make the soup and then mirror the greens in the pockets to those in the soup. But then at 4pm I discovered my 4 year old had a fever and dinner needed to become simpler. Oh well, dinner was still good.

I really liked this soup for two reasons. One, it was a hearty soup for a Meatless Monday. Two, it used lots of items from my CSA – a good get those vegetables used recipe.

Meatless Monday Menu – Ribollita, Kale Pockets
Farm Share Produce – Onion, Arrowhead Cabbage, Braising Mix, Potatoes, Carrots, Kale

Ribollita
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=50400000107395

The original recipe calls for Kale, Savoy Cabbage, and Broccoli Rabe. I used Arrowhead Cabbage and Brasing Mix. In my quest for simplification the Kale frozen from the CSA didn’t go in the soup, but was the primary ingredient for the pockets.
The recipe also serves 8 and I didn’t want to make such a big pot of soup, I tried to make about 1/3. It came out more like a stew with the bread soaking up liquid and the mashed beans thickening the pot. No matter, it was yummy and comforting as the cold weather sets in.

Kale Pockets
Inspired by Chicken and Kale Hand Pies with Cheddar Crust in Everyday Food Issue 77

1 sheet puffed pastry
1 t butter
1 t olive oil
1 – 2 cups Kale, chopped
½ Onion, chopped
2-3 sprigs of thyme
1 t AP flour
½ cup broth, vegetable or chicken
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Melt butter and heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onion, cook 3-4 minutes. Add Kale and thyme. Cook until Kale is wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove the sprigs of thyme. Add flour, cook 1 minute. Add broth and cook until mixture thickens. Set Kale mixture aside.

Roll out puff pastry sheet – to get rid of the creases. Cut into flour equal rectangles. Place two pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet. Divide the kale mixture between the two pieces. Place ½ the cheese on top of the kale mixture. Top the puff pastry with the additional two pieces and seal the edges – I used water, but an egg mixture would work well too.

Place pockets in a 350 degree oven for 20 – 30 minutes, until golden.