Squid and chickpea soup

• 15 minutes to prepare • 20 minutes to cook • Serves 4

Böggì i çeìxai

 

Two delicious recipes by themselves which are even more irresistible when partnered together: creamy soup of chickpeas with tasty squid rings.

The chickpea soup is a nutritious and tasty first course, suitable for cold winter days. It is, by definition, nourishing and easy to prepare: you just need to boil chickpeas with bay leaves.
Squid rings are instead enriched in flavor by being combined with vegetables and fresh herbs. It is enough to braise them - following few tricks detailed below - and you will achieve the perfection.

Serve and enjoy this squid and chickpea soup when it is still hot.
It is going to become the one dish you will miss in summertime...a lot!

Here are ingredients for a 4-serving recipe:

 

600 g squids
400 g canned chickpeas
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 onion
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig marjoram
5 bay leaves
4 bread slices
EVO oil
salt and pepper

1. Drain canned chickpeas and rinse them under water
2. Boil water in a pot, add salt and bay leaves. Once started to bubble, pour chickpeas and let them to soften for 10 minutes
3. Chop onion, carrot and celery. Then, pour two tablespoons of EVO oil in a pan and, when it is hot, braise the vegetables
4. Chop rosemary and marjoram and add them, too
5. Cut the squids into rings and add them to the vegetables together with a pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes
   
6. Meanwhile, pick up a ladle of chickpeas cooking water and keep aside, then drain well the chickpeas
7. Whisk half of the chickpeas with 1 tablespoon of EVO oil and a pinch of salt until you obtain a creamy soup. Keep warm
8. When squid rings are ready, add both the remaining - whole - chickpeas and the chickpeas soup. Stir over medium heat for a couple of minutes to mix well; if the soup looks dry, add some cooking water
9. Serve the squid and chickpea soup with bread slices dipped into it. Add 1 tablespoon of EVO oil and freshly ground pepper on top

Nutrition Facts are detailed in the table below. Data is provided per serving.

"Vegetarian and frugal it may be, but the chickpea is one of the most versatile ingredients you could keep in your cupboards." (Yotam Ottolenghi)