Name: Minestra di Ceci e Maiale (Chickpea and Pork Soup)
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 275 g/10 oz/1 ½ cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained; 200 g/7 oz prosciutto crudo, diced; 45-60 ml/3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve; 1 large onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, chopped; a large handful of fresh parsley leaves, chopped; 3 pork ribs; 200 g/7 oz escarole or bitter leaves, such as endive/US chicory; freshly grated pecorino cheese and toasted crusty bread, thinly sliced, to serve; 225 g/8 oz passata/bottled strained tomatoes; 3 celery sticks, coarsely chopped; sea salt and ground black pepper

Preparation info

Serves
4 to 6

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Italian Regional Cookbook

By Valentina Harris

Published 2017

About

This dish, which originates from Le Marche, is one of those robust cold-weather soups that are designed to fill hungry stomachs in the depths of a bitter winter, where the only heating comes from the kitchen fireplace. Guaranteed to provide much sustenance and comfort, it is filling and satisfying, as well as wonderfully warming. Made with a variety of the most basic of local ingredients that are available to even the poorest of families, this soup, and many others like it, relies on long,