Chickpea Soup
by Chef Stefano Barbato · 938K subscribers on YouTube
A classic Italian chickpea soup made with dried chickpeas, aromatic herbs, and a secret trick (bay leaves) to prevent gas. The soup is slow-cooked in a terracotta pot, with turmeric adding color and flavor while reducing the need for salt. Finished with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- Cook
- 2h
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
Ingredients
14 items- 300 gDried ChickpeasDried chickpeas, soaked for 20 hours before cooking
- 1.5 lWaterCold water, enough to cover chickpeas by about three fingers
- 2 pcsBay LeavesFresh bay leaves, help prevent gas
- 1 pcsRosemary1 sprig of dry rosemary (not fresh, to avoid bitterness)
- 1 pcsSage1 sprig of sage
- 1 pcsCarrotDiced into cubes roughly the size of the chickpeas
- 1 pcsOnionDiced similarly
- 1 pcsCelery1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 pcsGarlic1 garlic clove, cut in half
- 5 pcsCherry Tomatoes4–5 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 tbspTurmeric1 level tablespoon of turmeric powder; reduces need for salt and requires pepper for absorption
- SaltTo taste
- PepperBlack pepper, to taste
- Extra Virgin Olive OilHigh-quality extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Method
- Soak 300 g dried chickpeas in cold water for about 20 hours. If foam forms on the surface after 10–12 hours, change the water.
- After soaking, drain and rinse the chickpeas under cold running water.
- Place the chickpeas in a terracotta or heavy pot. Add 1.5 liters of cold water, enough to cover the chickpeas by about three fingers.
- Add 2 fresh bay leaves (they help prevent intestinal gas).
- Cook over low heat with the lid on for about 1 hour. Occasionally remove the lid and skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
- After 1 hour, prepare an aromatic bundle: tie together a sprig of rosemary and a sprig of sage (make sure the rosemary is dry, not fresh, to avoid bitterness). Add the bundle to the pot.
- Continue cooking covered over low heat for another 40 minutes.
- During the last 20 minutes of cooking, add the vegetables: 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 1 onion (all diced into cubes roughly the size of the chickpeas), 1 garlic clove (cut in half), and 4–5 cherry tomatoes (quartered). Note: use a serrated knife for tomatoes and lemon to avoid dulling your chef's knife.
- Season with salt, 1 level tablespoon of turmeric powder, and black pepper to taste. The turmeric adds flavor and reduces the amount of salt needed; but it needs pepper to be properly absorbed by the body.
- Continue cooking covered over low heat for the final 20 minutes.
- Remove the aromatic bundle (rosemary and sage) and the bay leaves. Also remove the garlic halves.
- Let the soup rest covered for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
Chef Stefano Barbato
Professional chef938K subscribers on YouTube236.9M total channel views"Benvenuti nella mia cucina! Sono lo Chef Stefano Barbato e qui condivido con voi la mia passione per il buon cibo. Dalle tecniche professionali spiegate passo dopo passo alle ricette della tradizione italiana, il mio obiettivo è rendere la grande cucina accessibile a tutti. Che sia un primo cremoso o una delle mie 'bambine cattive' appena sfornate, ogni piatto è fatto con amore. Sarà buono o non sarà buono? Iscrivetevi per scoprirlo insieme a me! 👨🍳🇮🇹" Hola y bienvenidos a mi canal de video recetas en español los encuentra aquí https://www.youtube.com/user/ChefStefanoBarbatoEs Chef Stefano Barbato
