This Chickpea and Chard Soup is Perfect Fall Comfort Food

Name: This Chickpea and Chard Soup is Perfect Fall Comfort Food
Cook time: 3 hours (hands-off), plus overnight soaking of chickpeas
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 300 g (10 oz) dried chickpeas Sea salt (as needed) 15 g (1/2 oz) dried porcini mushrooms; about 1/2 cup 1 medium carrot 1 large rib celery; plus the leaves 1 medium yellow onion 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; preferably Ligurian; plus more as needed 300 g (about 12 ounces) Swiss chard leaves and tender stems 2 tablespoons tomato paste Freshly ground black pepper Rustic bread for serving

Primo

Domenica Marchetti | Thu, 10/07/2021 - 02:11

Zemin di ceci / Photo courtesy of Domenica Marchetti

Difficulty Level

Low

Cooking Time

3 hours (hands-off), plus overnight soaking of chickpeas

Cost

Low

One of my favorite parts of leading culinary tours in Italy is introducing guests to local food producers and talented cooks and chefs. In September, I took a small group of four intrepid women to Liguria — their first time (and mine) traveling to Italy since the pandemic. Among the highlights was a cooking class at the home of a chef who lives in the hills above Chiavari, on Liguria’s eastern riviera.

Valentina Venuti is not just a chef, but also a sommelier, blogger, and