Zuppa di Cicerchie Abruzzese
An ancient Abruzzese pulse stew made from nutty grass peas simmered with garlic, rosemary, and peperoncino. Known locally as zuppa de cicerchie.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 105 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 430 kcal
Equipment
- •Large soaking bowl
- •Heavy-bottomed saucepan or terracotta pot
- •Wooden spoon
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- fat
- 10 g
- carbs
- 64 g
- fibre
- 14 g
- protein
- 22 g
- calories
- 430 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the cicerchie in a large bowl, cover generously with cold water, and soak for 24 hours.
- 2
Drain and rinse the soaked cicerchie thoroughly under cold running water.
- 3
Heat three tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
- 4
Add the crushed garlic, diced carrot, diced celery, and rosemary sprigs to the warm oil.
- 5
Gently fry for five minutes until the vegetables soften and release a sweet, savoury aroma.
- 6
Stir in the drained cicerchie and dried peperoncino, coating the pulses well in the oil.
- 7
Pour in the water and bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
- 8
Lower the heat to minimum, cover with a lid, and simmer slowly for 80 minutes until completely tender.
- 9
Season with fine sea salt during the final ten minutes of simmering.
- 10
Discard the woody rosemary stems and lightly crush a ladleful of peas against the pot side to thicken the broth.
- 11
Place a slice of toasted rustic bread into each warmed soup bowl.
- 12
Ladle the piping hot soup over the bread and finish each serving with a drizzle of raw olive oil.
Chef's tips
Grass peas require a full 24-hour soak with a water change halfway through to ensure tenderness and digestibility. Always add salt towards the very end of cooking, as salting early can toughen the skins of the pulses. For a thicker consistency, crush a larger portion of the cooked cicerchie directly in the broth before ladling.
Ingredient substitutions
- dried cicerchie → dried yellow split peas or whole dried chickpeas, adjusting soaking time to 12 hours
- crusty rustic bread → toasted gluten-free sourdough slices for a gluten-free version
Storage
Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of hot water if the stew has thickened.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Soaking for too short a time, which leaves the dried grass peas tough and hard to digest.
- •Boiling the soup vigorously, which can split the pulses and make the broth unpleasantly cloudy.
- •Salting the pulses at the start of cooking, which hardens their skins.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Zuppa di Cicerchie Abruzzese?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from Abruzzo
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
