Minestra di ceci alla Marchigiana – chickpea soup from Marche
Legumes are an intrinsic part of Marche’s culinary heritage. As with other central Italian regions, legumes have for long been a source of inexpensive protein for people who didn’t have access to large quantities of meat. Chickpeas, in particular, were used for hearty soups of mixed vegetables and pork scraps. This recipe is an example of such soups.
As with any Italian recipe, there is not just one way of making this minestra. For instance, a number of versions call for fresh (when in season) and dry porcini mushrooms. Others include escarole and parsley. My suggestion would be to follow your cook’s instincts and to adapt the recipe to your tastes and what you have on hand. Any tender leafy greens will work just fine; tinned chickpeas instead of dry will do too.
Ingredients
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Imperial
Minestra di ceci alla marchigiana
- 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 100g of thick-sliced Parma ham, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 200g of dried chickpeas, soaked for 24 hours
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 2l vegetable stock, heated
- 100g of spinach, or baby chard
- fine sea salt, as needed
- freshly ground black pepper, as needed
Method
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