Chickpea Chestnut Soup (Zuppa di Ceci e Castagne)

Chickpea Chestnut Soup (Zuppa di Ceci e Castagne) is a hearty and healthy soup, traditional in the Regions of Central Italy. It is also vegan and gluten-free and absolutely delectable.

Song of the day: Better When I'm Dancin', by Meghan Trainor.

As the weather gets colder, I find myself thinking how cool it would be to hibernate like some animals do. When the weather is hostile, they find a way to cope by sleeping through the winter, being inactive, and waking up only at the first signs of Spring.

Unfriendly weather

When I am in Canada, and the weather is cold and unfriendly to me, I tend to stay indoors most of the time. If it wasn't for Loreto pushing me to get out, I would "put my nose out the door" only when the snow has melted away and the first flowers start to bloom. Going to yoga and jazzercise, instead of being pleasurable activities, become a burden. I find any excuse to not leave the house, but the funny thing is, when in the end I go, I tell myself "Aren't you glad you went?".

Anyway, in those colder months, baking and cooking are my main activities. I like to make traditional Italian recipes, like pasta dishes and soups, always a very welcomed meal.

Chickpea Chestnut Soup (Zuppa di Ceci e Castagne)

This soup is a traditional recipe, popular in Central Italy with some minor variations from Region to Region.

Method using dried chickpeas and fresh chestnuts:

• Soak the dried chickpeas with a touch of coarse salt overnight. The next day rinse them and add them to a pot with 2 cups of cold water.
• Add the bay leaf and a sprig of rosemary, bring to a simmer and cook for 2 hours, or until tender. With a colander, drain them and set them aside, while keeping the cooking water.
• In another pot on the stove, add the fresh chestnuts and cold water, and boil for about half an hour. Allow to cool a bit, then peel, removing the tougher outer skin and the inner skin as well. (Do not wait till they are completely cold or they will be harder to peel). Crumble some or all of the chestnuts with your hands.
• Puree about half of the chickpeas and some of the water with a blender.
• In another pot, add 2 tablespoons of e.v.o. oil, garlic, sage, and rosemary. Add chili flakes, if using. Add the chickpeas, whole and pureed, the crumbled chestnuts, salt and pepper. Pour the chickpea cooking liquid, and some more water, if necessary. Simmer for half an hour.
• Plate, add a drizzle of evo oil, and the croutons, if making.

Method using canned chickpeas and store bought boiled chestnuts:

• Add 2 tablespoons evo oil to a pot, a pinch of chili flakes, 1 clove of garlic, 1 rosemary sprig, a couple of sage leaves, and 1 bay leaf. Sautee briefly, about 1 minute.
• Add the drained chickpeas and the boiled chestnuts, crumbled. Top with water, about 2-3 cups, then season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer for about 30 minutes. At about half the cooking time, remove the garlic, rosemary, sage, bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, puree some of the soup, leaving it chunky or smooth as you most like.
• Plate, add a drizzle of evo oil, and the croutons, if making.

The final texture is up to you

The Chickpea Chestnut Soup can have the consistency you most like: thinner or thicker, chunky or smooth, according to how much water you add and how much you are going to puree it. I like my soup dense and velvety, so I usually purée half the chickpeas. The chestnuts, other than bringing a buttery, nutty and sweet flavor to the dish, contribute to the diverse texture of the soup. I am a chestnut lover. For me, Autumn and Winter taste like chestnuts: in cakes; as a jam for a chocolate crostata; and, during the holidays, as roasted chestnut pancetta skewers.

Chickpea Chestnut Soup, comforting like a hug

This soup says warm hug right from the start giving nothing but comfort and love. The look is velvety and creamy. As the spoon stirs the soup these lovely morsels of chestnut and chickpea are discovered and I can only imagine the burst of flavor they are going to deliver. The first taste reveals that luxuriously rich texture and flavor. The chickpeas, nice and nutty. The chestnuts give a sweet butteriness to the soup that pairs so well with the aromatics and strength of the herbs. The grassy hue of the olive oil just smoothens the textures and the crunchy seasoned croutons are a delightful surprise.

Buon Appetito!

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