LIGURIAN CHICKPEA AND PORCINI SOUP

Ligurian Chickpea and Porcini Soup image

Number Of Ingredients 14

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
2 ounces , chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 rib medium celery, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 cups cooked dried or drained canned chickpeas
8 ounces swiss chard, cut crosswise into narrow strips
1 medium boiling potato, peeled and chopped
1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped fresh or canned tomato
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup ditalini, tubetti, or other small pasta

Steps:

1 Soak the mushrooms in the water for 30 minutes. Remove them and reserve the liquid. Rinse the mushrooms under cold running water to remove any grit. Chop them coarsely. Strain the liquid through a paper coffee filter into a bowl. 2 Pour the oil into a large pot. Add the pancetta, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until the onion and other aromatics are golden, about 10 minutes. 3 Stir in the chickpeas, Swiss chard, potato, tomatoes, and mushrooms with their liquid. Add water to just cover the ingredients, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender and the soup is thickened, about 1 hour. Add water if the soup becomes too thick. 4 Stir in the pasta and 2 more cups water. Cook, stirring often, about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Let cool slightly before serving. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutrition Facts : Nutritional Facts Serves