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1
Place beans in a large bowl and cover with a few inches of water. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours to soak. Drain beans then rinse.
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2
Once the beans are soaked, place them in your KitchenAid(R) Slow Cooker and top with 2 sprigs of rosemary, 4 garlic cloves, and 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Cover with water or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth and cook on the low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on the high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or until beans are tender, but not mushy. When you blow on the beans, their skins should come off easily but they shouldn't be mushy.
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3
Discard rosemary and garlic and reserve 2 cups of the beans for later. Use a KitchenAid(R) Pro Line(R) Series Cordless Hand Blender to blend the remaining beans into the cooking liquid.
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4
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook and stir about 5 minutes or until onion is tender.
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5
Turn the Slow Cooker to the high-heat setting then add in the onions, carrots, celery, potato, tomatoes, thyme, pinch of dried chili flakes, and a parmesan rind. Cover and cook about 1 hour more or until vegetables are soft and the soup has thickened slightly. Add the bread (or breadcrumbs) and stir to incorporate. If desired, to meld the flavors, cool soup; cover and chill for up to 24 hours.
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6
To serve, reheat the soup in the Slow Cooker over the low-heat setting, stir in the reserved beans, kale, and cabbage. Cook until the greens are just wilted, about 10 minutes. Serve topped with additional olive oil, grated cheese, and chili flakes (optional).
