Tuscan Soup (By Artusi)

• 400 g sodium-free bread
• 300 g white beans (Cannellini)
• 150 g extra virgin olive oil
• 2 liters water
• 12 medium savoy cabbage
• 8 leaves black cabbage
• 1 bunch chard leaves
• 3 thyme
• 1 potato
• 3 slices bacon, rinds cut into strips (row) or 3 slices ham, cut into strips (row)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 pinch parsley

1. As Artusi says: "Put the beans to fire covered by water by joining the rind.
2. You already know that beans must be put in icy water (for about 12 hours) and if they remain dry, hot water is added.
3. While everything's boiling make a beat with a quarter of a large onion and two cloves of garlic, two pieces of celery and a good pinch of parsley.
4. Chop fine, put on the fire with the oil and when it begins to brown pour in the same the green vegetables: cabbage first, then the chard and potato cut into chunks.
5. Season with salt and pepper and then add tomato sauce or tomato paste, and if in boiling they still remain a little dry, moisten with the broth of beans.
6. When these are cooked, pour a fourth part among the green vegetables, joining the rind; pass the others through a sieve and melt them in the broth, pouring this also in the vessel where are the greens.
7. Mix, boil a little longer and pour everything into the bowl where you will have already placed the bread cut into thin slices and cover it to serve after about twenty minutes.
8. This quantity is enough for six people and is good hot and icy is better".
9. My grandmother: wait 5 minutes when you dunk the bread -- so you're sure the last layer is'nt dry.
10. You can add zucchini and use a carrot for the beat, but stop -- anything else.
11. Cook's Notes:.

bread, white beans, extra virgin olive oil, liters water, savoy cabbage, black cabbage, chard, thyme, potato, bacon, garlic, stalks celery, parsley

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/tuscan-soup-by-artusi-501933 (may not work)