Pulses are a staple of Mediterranean cuisine, and there are many recipes found in regional cuisines. Chickpea soup is certainly one of them, with many variations from one Mediterranean region to another.
This recipe comes from Corsica, and it’s a simple yet comforting and delicious soup. It’s made with pasta—vermicelli, to be exact—though I suppose any short pasta would work. You can make this chickpea soup either plain or with tomatoes. It’s wonderful either way.
Ingredients:
- 300 grams of chickpeas
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 120 grams of vermicelli
- Laurel
- Thyme
- Salt
- Pepper
- 80 milliliters of extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
The day before, soak the chickpeas in plenty of cold water. Otherwise, use canned chickpeas (as a last resort) to avoid having to soak them.
Drain the chickpeas and place them in a pot with plenty of cold water.
Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, and pepper; bring to a boil, then let the soup simmer until the chickpeas are almost cooked (the cooking time varies depending on the chickpeas. Peeled chickpeas cook much faster).
When the chickpeas are tender, add the pasta, fresh herbs, and salt. Cook for a few more minutes until the pasta is done.
Serve immediately.
