350 g (12 oz) fresh ricotta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 head celery, including leaves, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 small dried red chillies
4 medium potatoes (yellow, waxy variety), peeled
225 g (8 oz) dried cannellini beans, soaked and cooked (see here) or 1 × 225 g (8 oz) tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
500 g (18 oz) bitter greens (cicoria or spinach and dandelion)
Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
6 slices sourdough bread
1 garlic clove, peeled
extra virgin olive oil
70 g (3 oz) Parmesan
For six
Soak and cook the beans as described here. Drain.
Using a large, thick-bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil, add the onion and celery stalks and fry gently until soft and beginning to colour. Add the garlic, parsley, celery leaves and crumbled chillies. Continue to cook, stirring to combine the flavours for 3–4 minutes.
Cut the potatoes into 2 cm (3/4 in) cubes. Add the potatoes and the cannellini beans to the saucepan, stir and just cover with hot water. Cover and gently simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes are al dente.
Blanch the cicoria or spinach and dandelion for 2 minutes. Drain, cool and roughly chop. The greens should remain quite tough.
Add the greens, stir, and continue to cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Break up the ricotta with a fork and stir into the soup.
To serve, grill the sourdough on both sides and rub one side only with garlic. Tear the bruschetta in half and place the pieces in warm soup bowls. Ladle over the soup. Crumble over the rest of the ricotta, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve with grated Parmesan.