Zuppa di Ceci e Castagne
A rustic Apennine mountain soup of sweet chestnuts and tender chickpeas simmered with rosemary and garlic. Hearty, warming, and naturally nourishing.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 390 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- •Wooden spoon
- •Ladle
- •Chef's knife
- •Potato masher
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- fat
- 11 g
- carbs
- 62 g
- fibre
- 10 g
- protein
- 14 g
- calories
- 390 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- 2
Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery with a small pinch of salt.
- 3
Cook gently for eight minutes until the soffritto is soft and aromatic.
- 4
Add the bruised garlic cloves, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaf to the pot.
- 5
Roughly crumble half of the chestnuts, leaving the remaining ones whole.
- 6
Stir the chickpeas and all the chestnuts into the pot.
- 7
Pour in the warm vegetable stock and bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
- 8
Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for twenty-five minutes.
- 9
Crush a few ladlefuls of chickpeas against the pot side to thicken the broth.
- 10
Remove the rosemary sprigs and bay leaf, then season with salt and pepper.
- 11
Ladle the hot soup into shallow bowls alongside toasted country bread.
Chef's tips
For an authentically thick broth, lightly mash some chickpeas rather than puréeing the entire soup. If using traditional dried chestnuts, soak them in cold water for twelve hours before boiling until tender. A generous finishing pour of peppery extra virgin olive oil brings out the sweetness of the chestnuts.
Ingredient substitutions
- cooked chestnuts → dried chestnuts, soaked overnight and simmered until soft
- vegetable stock → water or light chicken stock if not strictly vegan
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of hot water if the soup has thickened.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Puréeing the entire soup into a smooth paste, which ruins the rustic, textural contrast.
- •Salting the broth too heavily at the beginning before the sweet chestnuts have infused.
Serving suggestions
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