Chickpea, Chestnut and Delica Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 200 g dried chickpeas
• 200 g boiled chestnuts (or 300 g if fresh, to be boiled and peeled)
• 300 g Delica pumpkin (net weight)
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• A few sage leaves
• Plenty of “Miracolo” extra virgin olive oil
• Plenty of “Miracolo” extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Prepare the chickpeas
   Soak the dried chickpeas in cold water for at least 12 hours (24 hours is even better).
   Drain, rinse, and cook them in lightly salted water with a sprig of rosemary for about 1½ hours, or until tender
2. Make the aromatic base
   In a large pot, heat 4 tablespoons of “Miracolo” extra virgin olive oil.
   Add the finely chopped onion, the crushed garlic clove (you can remove it later), and the sage leaves.
   Let them soften gently for 5–6 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant
3. Add the pumpkin
   Cut the Delica pumpkin into cubes and add it to the sautéed base.
   Let it cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, then add a ladle of hot water or vegetable broth and cover with a lid.
   Cook for another 10–12 minutes, until the pumpkin has softened.
4. Add chickpeas and chestnuts
   Add the cooked chickpeas (keeping a little of their cooking water aside) and the roughly chopped boiled chestnuts to the pot.
   Season with salt and pepper.
   Pour in enough hot vegetable broth or chickpea cooking water to reach a thick soup consistency.
   Simmer gently for about 20 minutes.
5. Finishing and texture
   You can choose to:

• blend part of the soup for a smooth, creamy texture, leaving the rest chunky, or
• blend part of the soup for a smooth, creamy texture, leaving the rest chunky, or

serve it rustic-style, as is, with visible pieces of chickpeas and pumpkin.