Chickpea, pumpkin and cavolo nero soup

Just a few seasonal ingredients go into this simple minestrone-style soup to make a flavour-packed start to a meal. Add some crusty sourdough and extra-virgin olive oil for dipping and it could also serve as the main act. If you make the soup ahead, the chickpeas will soak up the liquid, but that’s easily fixed by adding a little extra stock before serving. Start this recipe a day ahead to soak the chickpeas. Prep time 20 mins, cook 1½ hrs (plus soaking) Serves 6-8 (pictured p115)

150 gm dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water

overnight, drained

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 rosemary sprig

400 gm (about ¼ small) peeled and diced

Kent pumpkin

1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock 150 gm tomato polpa, or finely chopped

canned tomatoes

240 gm (1 bunch) cavolo nero, trimmed, stalks thinly sliced

Finely grated parmesan, chilli flakes (optional), mild-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil and basil leaves, to serve 1 Cover chickpeas generously with cold water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium-high and simmer until tender (45 minutes to 1 hour). Drain.

2 Warm oil in a separate large saucepan over low-medium heat, add onion and sauté until translucent (10-15 minutes). Add garlic and rosemary and stir until garlic starts to soften (1 minute), then add pumpkin and cook until pumpkin starts to soften (4-5 minutes). Add stock and tomato polpa, season and bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until pumpkin is just tender (5-6 minutes).

3 Add chickpeas and cavolo nero to pan, and simmer until pumpkin is tender but not breaking down (6-9 minutes). Season to taste and serve scattered with parmesan and a pinch of chilli, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and topped with basil leaves.

Drink suggestion Chestnut lager.