Chestnut and Chickpea Soup

Author Notes

Chestnuts add velvety texture and earthy sweetness to this rustic, warming soup from central Italy, a specialty that can be found from Abruzzo to Tuscany.

Traditionally, dried chickpeas are used – soak them for 12 hours before boiling them until soft. Dried or freshly collected chestnuts can also be used – both need to be boiled until soft; the latter needs to be scored with a cross before heading for the pot and peeled after boiling. Don't throw away the liquid used to cook these ingredients in; this becomes the broth for the soup.

This version below – for convenience's sake – uses quality pre-cooked chickpeas and chestnuts, which means this soup can be made in under fifteen minutes. Despite its simplicity, it is a soup full of flavour, with the partially blended chickpeas lending hearty creaminess and fresh herbs that are allowed to sing out – rosemary and chestnuts are a match made in heaven.

Some recipes call for a splash of tomato puree (passata) here. Others leave the chickpeas whole, rolling around in the broth made by boiling the dried chickpeas. The chestnuts are usually kept whole as pureed chestnuts become extremely thick, though it's not entirely out of the question to do this. Still others I have seen use other legumes in place of the chickpeas, such as borlotti or cannellini beans. If you want to add even more substance to it, farro or barley would go nicely. It's a humble soup with moreish, comforting quality; perfect for your next cozy night in with a glass of red wine. —Emiko