Ribollita

Place the beans and water in a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil (you may have to add some water; the beans should have about 1 inch of water on the top). Lower the heat and skim the foam that accumulates on the top. Add bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt and boil on a low flame until the beans are cooked through but still firm. Set the beans aside; do not drain them.

Soak the cabbage and the chard in a bowl of cold water.

Warm the olive oil in a large pot, add pancetta, and cook until it begins to brown. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and parsley and cook for 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add tomato paste and tomatoes and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the cooking liquid from the beans to the pot along with salt to taste, freshly ground pepper, and thyme.

Drain the greens and add them to the pot. Cook for 45 minutes, adding broth if soup starts drying out. The soup should be thick. Add the cannellini beans the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Arrange a layer of bread of bread in a medium stockpot. Ladle some soup over the bread and repeat this layering of bread and soup until all the bread and soup are used up, finishing with a layer of soup. Let cool 1/2 hour, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

The following day, reheat the ribollita and serve with olive oil drizzled over each portion. You can also heat an individual portion in a small skillet so that the bread forms a thin crust.