Say Ceci

Bean soup doesn’t sound very 90 degree weather. But sometimes your pantry and laziness dictate dinner aided by a healthy dose of suspension of disbelief (I’m assuming you’ve seen Star Wars?). Really this recipe can fit any season. I almost always have all the ingredients for this dish on hand; it’s very simple, takes very little time to make and it’s quite savory and could easily be served cold. I believe the original recipe came from a La Cucina Italiana I picked up about 5-6 years ago, it was aptly named Zuppa di Ceci. I’ve adapted it to my taste, of course, and to accommodate 2 standard cans of chick peas. I served this the other night with grilled olive bread, from H&F purchased at the East Atlanta Farmers' Market and prosciutto and melon.

Chickpea Soup with Rosemary - Serves 2-3

(2) 14 oz. cans (or 3 cups) of chickpeas drained and rinsed

2 cloves (or 1 tablespoon) of garlic minced

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 ½ -3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1+½ cups chicken or vegetable broth (or more see note below)

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the first four ingredients in a pan and saute for 10 minutes or until your house starts to smell really good. To truly smell your house I suggest stepping outside of it for a moment (1 minute) and walking back in. Add the stock and salt and pepper, bring to a boil for a minute or two and then simmer for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and blend until smooth and creamy in texture. I used an immersion blender but a regular blender works just as well, you just might have to do it in batches depending on the blender. Ladle into bowls and dress with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Notes: A friend of mine recently made this and said she needed 3 cups of broth. I believe this is due to the type of chickpea you use. The original recipe called for more broth too. We use the Rega brand which tend to be a small dense chickpea rather than some other more popular brands which are more meatier. I suggest you keep broth handy and add to your desired consistency.