chickpea soup with rosemary

This incredible recipe comes from the new David Rocco cookbook, Made in Italy. We’d not heard of this stylish Italian chef until Hegui happened across his gorgeous cookbook in a shop in Healdsburg while we were wine tasting that weekend. Apparently he’s a Food Network star for their Canadian outlet. There’re tons of videos from the show on U-tube. Here’s one:

I like the food and the excitement that Rocco brings to the subject. Can’t wait for his show to come out in the U.S. For now, we’ll just have to content ourselves with these yummy recipes.

I basically followed his but used more chickpeas. Mine were a mix of canned and dried that I rehydrated, though in the book it calls only for canned. The taste was superb. Too bad the soup, unlike the celebrity chef, isn’t especially photogenic.

chickpea soup with rosemary

4 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 sprig fresh rosemary
3 cups chickpeas
Salt and black pepper to taste
Water to taste
Parmigiano-Reggiano and more olive oil to finish

Sauté diced onion and rosemary in olive oil until onions start to turn golden. Add chickpeas, salt and pepper. Add water to your taste. I made my soup a little watery. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Use a stick blender to mash some of the chickpeas and onion to thicken the soup. Cook about 15 minutes. Serve warm and finish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and some olive oil.