Cavolo nero, or black cabbage, belongs to the brassica family—a group of vegetables I turn to time and again for their depth of flavour and sheer versatility. Its deeply verdant, inky leaves and robust stalks lend themselves beautifully to a range of preparations. Left whole, they have a wonderful integrity, but when puréed, they become something altogether silkier—perfectly suited to being stirred through pasta, folded into a buttery purée of potatoes, or simply spooned over bruschetta rubbed generously with garlic and drizzled with the most fragrant, peppery olive oil you can find.
A staple of Tuscan cuisine, cavolo nero plays a central role in ribollita, where its earthy richness marries with beans and good bread to create something deeply nourishing. But this is a vegetable that knows no bounds—it’s as delicious in the simplest of preparations as it is in the grandest. And best of all, it’s incredibly good for you.
Here, I’ve paired a cavolo nero soup with farinata—a golden, crisp-edged chickpea pancake that provides the perfect contrast to the deep, mineral richness of the greens. It’s a simple but deeply satisfying dish, one that celebrates honest, seasonal ingredients cooked with care.
Cavolo nero soup
Serves 4-6
500g/1lb cavolo nero
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
250ml/ 8fl oz chicken stock
100g/31/2oz finely grated Parmesan
3tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 farinata (see below recipe)
First, remove the leaf from the stalk and discard the stalk. Place a large pot of well-salted water on to heat and, when boiling, add the leaves from the cavolo nero and cook for around 8 minutes. Drain and refresh immediately under cold water. Put the cavolo nero in a blender and purée it.
Next, pour one tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and sweat the chopped onion until it's translucent, then add the cavolo nero, chicken stock, salt and pepper, and cook for three minutes over a medium heat. Finish by adding the Parmesan and the remaining olive oil. Spoon into soup bowls and serve piping hot with the farinata.
450g chickpea flour
8tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2tsp sea-salt
A little freshly ground black pepper
450ml sparkling mineral water
A few sprigs of rosemary (optional)
To make the farinata, place the chickpea flour in a bowl, pour over the olive oil and add the salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the chopped rosemary, if using. Next, whisk in the mineral water - mix until the batter is smooth and leave it to sit for 20 minutes.
To cook, heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6. Place a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and, when hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to ensure that the base of the pan is well covered.