Soup with Chickpeas and Smoked Pork
This is a hearty soup that my grandmother made—though never the same way twice. Sometimes she would add some pasta near the end of cooking, in the style of pasta e fagioli, or add another kind of bean, since legumes were so important. In season she would toss in a cup or two of fresh corn kernels. This is really a one-pot meal, in two courses. First you have the velvety, rich soup, then sliced sausage and ribs as a second course. With a piece of country bread and a small salad, who could ask for more?
Recipe information
Yield
makes 5 to 6 quarts of soup and meat, serving 12 or more
Ingredients
Recommended Equipment
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the chickpeas and put them in the soup pot with enough cold water to cover them by at least 4 inches. Let them soak for 12 to 24 hours in a cool place.
Step 2
Drain and rinse the chickpeas; put them in the soup pot with 8 quarts of fresh cold water, the bay leaves, and potatoes. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil, stirring often, and then keep it gently bubbling.
Step 3
Meanwhile, prepare the pestata, the paste that is the seasoning base. Put about half of the onion, celery, and carrot chunks and half the garlic cloves in the food processor. Process into a finely minced paste, scraping down the bowl a few times. Empty the paste into a mixing bowl, process the remaining vegetables the same way, and mix the pestata batches together. (If your food processor is small, make the pestata in three batches.)
Step 4
Pour the olive oil into the big skillet, and set over medium-high heat. Stir in all of the pestata—now it becomes a soffritto—and cook until the moisture has largely evaporated, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, stir well, bring to a boil, and cook for a few minutes, until slightly reduced.
Step 5
Scrape the soffritto into the pot of beans and potatoes, and stir to disperse it completely. Cover the pot partially, and bring the broth to a gentle bubbling boil. When the chickpeas have been cooking for about 1 hour total, stir in the 2 tablespoons salt and drop in the slab of pork ribs. Bring to a gentle boil, and cook for another 1/2 hour, partially covered, allowing the volume to reduce slowly and steadily.
Step 6
After cooking for 1 1/2 hours, by which time the beans should be nearly tender, drop in the smoked sausage and bring the soup to the boil again. Cook uncovered until the beans are completely soft and the soup has a nice density, 30 minutes or longer, then turn off the heat.
Step 7
Remove the meats to a platter. To create a thickening, scoop out half of the chickpeas (about 3 cups) and as many chunks of potato as you can find, and drop them in the food-processor bowl. Add a cup or two of broth, process to a thick purée, and scrape it back into the soup. Stir well, and simmer for 5 minutes or longer if the soup needs more reduction. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and salt if needed.
Step 8
Serve the soup first—with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of grated cheese over each portion—then the sliced meats as a second course. Or put a rib and a few slices of sausage in every soup bowl, and enjoy them together.
