Sicilian Peppery Tomato Soup with Chickpeas

For those who like a thick, satisfying soup, here’s a very easy one.  It has no meat and yet is very hearty and satisfying.  Garbanzo beans (chick peas) are a good source of fiber and protein.  The tomatoes add a healthy dose of lycopene, anti-oxidants, and just plain taste good.

The rosemary adds a pungent flair redolent of sun-drenched Sicily.

The soup is intended to be very thick. Spend some time and cook it down – you will be rewarded by a mouth-satisfying, belly-filling meal.

Intended to be peppery, you can cut back on the hot red pepper flakes if you prefer milder fare.


Enjoy! 


Sicilian Peppery Chickpea Soup with Tomatoes
(Minestra di Ceci e Pomodoro alla Siciliana)


Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil (EVOO)
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
Pinch of turmeric
Freshly ground black red pepper to taste
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium red pepper, seeded and chopped
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
28 oz can chef’s cut (diced) tomatoes with liquid
1/2 tsp fresh finely chopped rosemary or 1/4 tsp dried crushed
Pinch of baking soda
2 cans 15.5 oz chickpeas, drained
2 cups water
Salt to taste
Freshly grated parmigiano reggiano


Method

In a large soup pot, heat oil to medium-low, add turmeric, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Stir and heat, then add onions, red pepper, and sauté, stirring frequently.  Cook onion-pepper mixture until reduced, 5-8 minutes.

Add garlic, cook and stir for an additional minute.

Add tomatoes with their liquid.  Cook tomato-onion mixture uncovered, stirring frequently, until a good part of the liquid evaporates and mixture thickens (about 10-15 minutes). Add the baking soda and stir well (this reduces acidity).

Add the chopped rosemary and stir well.

Note:  This is a very thick soup. Cook onions-peppers and then tomatoes even longer than you’d normally think.  The key to this soup is to thicken and reduce the base.  You are cooking over medium heat, hence need to stir frequently to avoid sticking or scorching. A screen over the pot will eliminate splatter.

Pour in the chickpeas and water. Bring to boil, stirring.  Reduce to slow, steady, simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes

Add salt and pepper to taste. Uncover and simmer to thicken if necessary.

Top each bowl with a little fresh grated Parmesan cheese and serve with garlic toast and a side of greens or salad. 

Buon appetito!

Easy homemade hummus

Hummus is a Mediterranean staple, a dip made from mashed, cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and spices.  Extremely versatile, hummus may be consumed as a dip with toasted pita chips, used as the base of a salad wrap, or simply licked from your fingers. 

Classic hummus also includes tahini, a sesame paste.  You may certainly add that to this recipe, or substitute some sesame oil, but it is fine without either as well.  And instead of cooking the garbanzo beans from scratch, let's just use a can for quick preparation.

Hummus is rich in protein and dietary fiber, easy to prepare, and is tasty to boot.  A hard proposition to beat!

It is so easy to make that you may never buy it again.  Be adventurous with different spices.

Ingredients:

1 can 15 oz. garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained
2-3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 large lemon, squeezed
1 tsp. fresh ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/4 cup tahini or 1 tsp. sesame oil or neither
Spices to taste (turmeric, hot red pepper, etc.)

Method:

Place drained garbanzo beans in your favorite food processor or blender.  Add all other ingredients.  Blend until pureed and well mixed.

That's it!

Note:  My favorite implement for this purpose is the Girmi TR30.  A small, powerful food processor, the Girmi perfectly contains and blends the ingredients for this dish, and is very easy to clean up.

Balela – chick pea and black bean salad

A quick, simple, and nutritious salad, Balela is a Middle Eastern salad with chick peas, black beans, parsley, and spices. There are variations that use mint and other flavorings, but this one is pretty basic. Feel free to experiment. The salad is very healthy with plenty of protein and fiber from the beans. Serve with good rough peasant bread and red wine. Boun appetitio!

 

 

Ingredients

1 - 15 oz. can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained

1 - 15 oz can black beans, drained

2 - ripe tomatoes, chopped

½ chopped red onion

½ sweet red pepper, seeded and chopped

1 clove garlic, minced fine

1 tsp. fresh ground cumin

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Juice of one lemon (or 2 tbs. of bottled lemon juice)

½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley

Salt and fresh coarse ground black pepper to taste

Method

Combine all ingredients, mix well. Allow flavors to mingle for 15-30 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

Serves four as a side dish, two as a main course.  May be easily doubled.

Note: best served at room temperature but will keep for days in the refrigerator.