Chickpeas and Porcini Soup
This is for the ones who love a warm, relaxing dinner in the mountains.
Imagine Autumn in Umbria. Golden leaves, cobblestone villages, and the smell of Porcini soup cooking on the stove. The Chickpeas and Porcini Soup is a rustic Umbrian soup of chickpeas, tomato, and rosemary, with sautéed porcini, served with toasted bread.
From Osteria Pane e Vino, Todi.
This recipe makes 6 portions of Chickpeas and Porcini Soup.
This recipe is fully vegan and gluten-free.
It takes about 30 minutes to prepare with already boiled chickpeas, and about 2 hours with soaked chickpeas.
Want to explore other Italian recipes? Check our fresh pasta workshops!
INGREDIENTS:
500 grams dried chickpeas (or 800 grams of pre-cooked ones)
2 garlic cloves (1 for the soup, 1 for the mushrooms)
some rosemary
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (for the soup)
200 grams ripe tomatoes, chopped
salt
black pepper
200 grams porcini mushrooms (you can also get the dry ones)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (for the mushrooms)
flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 rustic bread loaf, sliced and toasted
truffle flakes
THE RECIPE:
Soak the chickpeas: The night before, cover 500 grams of dried chickpeas with plenty of cold water and leave to soak overnight.
Start the soup: In a large pot, fry 1 garlic clove and 1 rosemary sprig in extra-virgin olive oil (for the soup) until golden.
Add tomatoes and chickpeas: Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add them to the pot with 200 grams ripe tomatoes, chopped, then season with salt and black pepper.
Simmer: Cook over medium heat for about 120 minutes until the chickpeas are tender, adding water a little at a time as needed to keep them just covered. Canned chickpeas: cook for about 20 minutes, adding a few spoons of water.
Sauté the porcini: Meanwhile, clean 200 grams of porcini mushrooms with a brush or damp cloth and slice them. Don't wash them with water! Sauté in 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil with the remaining garlic clove (cut in half) and chopped parsley. Fry until the garlic is golden.
Finish and serve: Stir the porcini into the soup, add some extra-virgin olive oil, and serve with slices of toasted bread.
MACCHÈ TIPS:
Umbria is the place to be for truffle lovers (like myself). This recipe will be (even more) perfect with some white truffle flakes. If you like truffle oil, read the ingredients before buying it, and make sure it actually has just oil and truffle.
Serve the truffle flakes directly on the plate. The smell will bring you directly to Umbria!
