Chickpea, pumpkin and cavolo nero soup

SERVES 6–8

PREP + COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR 50 MINUTES, PLUS SOAKING

This soup makes a flavourpacked start to a meal – add crusty sourdough and extravirgin 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.

• 150 g dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight and drained

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion, chopped finely

• 2 small garlic cloves, chopped finely

• 1 rosemary sprig

• 400 g pumpkin, peeled and diced

• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

• 150 g finely chopped tinned tomato

• 240 g cavolo nero (Tuscan kale), trimmed and sliced thinly

• mild-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil, finely grated Parmesan, chilli flakes (optional) and basil leaves, to serve

1. Cover chickpeas with cold water in a large pot and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer until tender (45 minutes to 1 hour). Drain.

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

3. Add chickpeas and cavolo nero to the pot and simmer until the pumpkin is tender but not breaking down (6–9 minutes). Season to taste.

4. To serve, drizzle with olive oil and scatter with Parmesan, chilli and basil.