Ceci, Mele, Salisoccia E Patate Alla Garfagnana ( Chickpeas, Apples, Sausage and Potatoes Garfangnana Style) from the cookbook, Zuppa! by Annie Bianchi

  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 dried chili, crushed (or 2 tsp crushed red chili flakes)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 small fennel bulb
  • 4 links fennel sausage (mild italian sausage)
  • 1.5 lbs pototoes, peeled and cubed
  • 2 medium red apples
  • 8 cup basic meat broth (chicken would work well)
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage
  • 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup grated pecorino Romano

    Heat 2 tbsp oil in a soup pot over medium heat and saute 3 cloves of garlic, onion, chili pepper, small fennel bulb* and 2-3 links of mild italian sausage out of casing and in little pieces for 7-8 minutes or until everything is nice and browned. * Save some the little green tops from the fennel bulb to garnish.

    Add the broth broth, potatoes (I used red skins with the skin on most) and apples. Sweet apples are good for this -- I used Red delicious and Fuji. Heat soup to boiling and then reduce to low. Add chickpeas and cover.

    Give it about an hour and taste to see if you need to add more water or if all is good. Add 2 tbsp on chopped fresh sage and 6 tbsp chopped parsley.

    Stir and serve.

    I chopped some extra sage for the table and grated the pecornio directly in the individual bowls serving. A nice crusty bread rounds it out

    Back to the round-up.