florentine bean soup

cannelini or borlotti beans (canned or dried - remember to soak overnight, and boil twice for 5-10 minutes, washing in between if dried)
8 tbsps olive oil
5 garlic cloves
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 leek, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
1 large ripe tomatoe, peeled, deseeded and chopped
1 ham bone
1.5 litres water
salt
1/2 tsps beef extract
275g dark green cabbage leaves, cut into large pieces
1 sprig fresh rosemary
pinch of dried thyme

heat 3 tbsps oil, cook 3 cloves garlic and onion for 5 minutes in covered pan. Add remaining veg, ham bone, bean and water, pinch or two of salt, and beef extract. Cover and boil for about 1 hour till beans are tender.

Remove ham bone and 1 large ladleful of whole, cooked beans, then purée the remaining soup in a liquidiser. Return to clean pan with reserved beans. Stir in the cabbage. Cover and simmer gently for about ten minutes, until cabbage is tender.

meanwhile, pour remaining oilve oil into small saucepan, and heat gently with rosemary, thyme and remainder of garlic. After about 10 minutes, strain the oil into the soup and heat it through for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

serve with toast and parmesan cheese.