There Of Cicerchie soup it is a poor dish of the peasant tradition but very nutritious, tasty and healthy, perfect for cold winter days. This is an accomplished soup with hulled chickling peas, a sautéed mixture made up of carrot, onion and celery, creamy from the presence of potatoes and flavored with sage leaves. You can also add chili or other aromatic herbs such as rosemary, thyme or lemon thyme to obtain an even tastier result. Cicerchia is a very delicate legume, whose flavor sometimes recalls peas and broad beans. Cicerchie soup is a comforting dish, to be enjoyed accompanied by slices of toasted bread and dressed with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. We advise you to buy the hulled grass peas because they do not require soaking and are easier to digest.

Preparation

1

Wash the cicerchi under running water to remove any impurities present.

2

Peel the onion, carrot and potatoes.

3

Cut all the vegetables into 5mm cubes.

4

Pour the oil into a pan, add the vegetables and the sage, bring to the heat over medium heat, stirring frequently.

5

Add the grass peas and let them infuse for a few more minutes, then pour in the water to cover them completely (it will take about 2 liters of water).

6

Add the salt and cook for 1 hour. Serve hot.

Advice and tips

You can blend part of the soup with an immersion blender, so as to obtain a dish very creamy.

To make your dish even tastier we suggest you to add a sausage or smoked bacon in the sauté phase, to be left to cook together with the grass peas and the rest of the ingredients. Also add a bay leaf for more flavor.

storage

You can keep the chickpea soup in an airtight container for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. Alternatively, if you have used fresh ingredients, you can freeze it and let it thaw in the refrigerator if necessary.

History

Cicerchie are not so unusual legumes: they were already widespread in Middle East millennia ago and used for the preparation of soups and baked goods. Now the use of cicerchie is widespread especially in central and southern Italy.