The soup itself is Sicilian, not the chick peas. Most Italian soups feature cannellini beans but in Sicily, chick peas are the favored legume. The recipe comes from the Slow Cooker Revolution cookbook, Volume 2. You can make it in 7 hours in the slow cooker, or in 45 minutes on the stove top. It's not very attractive, but it's yum. It features fennel, garlic, oregano and red pepper. It also calls for anchovies, which I did not use, and escarole, which I did not have.
Stove Top Version
- 2 fennel bulbs, cored and chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
- 2 8-oz cans chick peas, dried and rinsed
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 head escarole, chopped coarse, or 1/2 bag of frozen spinach
Heat olive oil in soup pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add fennel and saute 7-8 minutes. I found the soup very savory and kept looking for a sweet note. think if you really get the fennel caramelized it will bring that sweetness.
Add garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes, saute another 2-3 minutes.
Add chick peas and chicken broth. Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes. Add spinach or escarole and cook until wilted, another 15 minutes.
Serve with a glug of olive oil and a big dollop of parmesan cheese
Slow Cooker Version
- 2 fennel bulbs, cored and chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
- 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
- 8 oz dried chick peas
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 head escarole, chopped coarse, or 1/2 bag of frozen spinach
Microwave fennel, oil, garlic, oregano, anchovies and papper flakes in bowl, stirring occasionally, until fennel is softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker. Stir in chick peas and broth. Cover and cook until chick peas are tender—10 to 11 hours on low or 7 to 8 hours on high.
Stir in escarole or spinach, cover and cook another 15 minutes.
Serve with olive oil and parmesan.
