What are Ceci beans? They're chickpeas, if you're in Italy. Since I dream about visiting Italy quite a bit, I enjoy using that name. Wait, did I say that I dream? Not for some time. Today was yet another day dealing with the effects of sleep deprivation, a fancy way of saying that I normally get less than six hours of sleep a night. I usually spend the early morning and afternoon feeling like death. Then, as evening approaches, I'm wide awake, totally unable to sleep until well after midnight.
This Ceci bean soup was perfect for my exhausted state of mind earlier in the day. All the ingredients were in my pantry and it took very little time preparing the final dish. I used canned chickpeas and used a stick blender to puree the soup right in the pot. The soup is thick, but not heavy, with a fluffy texture. The chickpeas and tomatoes gave it a lovely sweet flavor, with an assist from sage and rosemary.
The little chicken was a Mother's day gift from Upsie and Sundance. He was hand carved in Mexico by an artist named Antonio Xuano (the name is written on the bottom of the chicken's feet). Beautiful work Antonio.
Ceci Bean Soup
(Adapted from Williams-Sonoma)
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 2 cups drained, seeded canned tomatoes
3 cups cooked chickpeas
5 cups chicken broth
1 fresh rosemary sprig
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Parmesan for garnish
In a soup pot over medium-low heat, add olive oil and heat until hot. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the sage and tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the ceci beans, broth and rosemary and cook, stirring, for 20 minutes.
Remove the rosemary and discard. Using a stick blender, puree the soup until smooth and blended. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and top each serving with a spoonful of parmesan. Serves 4 to 6.
Such sweet little kitties to give you the cutie of a chicken!
Oh my that soup does look so good.
Sleep, sleep little girl, perhaps to dream...
Posted by: Tanna | May 16, 2007 at 03:51 AM
Might I recommend the book 'Eating Up Italy' by Matthew Fort as some dream inducing bedtime reading? It's a fabulous travelouge about eating one's way through Italy. Might not help you sleep but it'll give you some new recipes! I hope you get some sleep soon. god I hate insomnia... But the soup looks delish! (and what a cool rooster, is Jacques jealous?)
Posted by: ann | May 16, 2007 at 05:34 AM
tasty! Another way to use chickpeas, great idea! The chicken looks hungry. Great job by Antonio. I am sorry to hear about your sleeping troubles. For tonight, rest well and sweet dreams.
Posted by: Liberalfoodie | May 16, 2007 at 05:51 AM
I love my soup so thick like yours :) These days I need 8 hours...at least... for my sleep :D
Posted by: gattina | May 16, 2007 at 06:26 AM
I'm not sleep deprived yet I would gladly eat this! :)
Posted by: Patricia Scarpin | May 16, 2007 at 06:56 AM
I love this thick soup, and it looks simple to prepare too!
Hope you get enough sleep okay?
Posted by: angie | May 16, 2007 at 07:19 AM
So I've had 2 cans of ceci beans sittin in my pantry for 2 months now. I should prolly use 'em, eh? =)
Thanks for sharing!
xoxo
Posted by: Lisa | May 16, 2007 at 08:02 AM
We always referred to chickpeas as ceci in our house and even affectionately as "che" like pasta "che." I eat them all the time and will definitely try this recipe. In fact, I'm having hummus for lunch today. See what I mean?
Posted by: Susan from Food "Blogga" | May 16, 2007 at 09:41 AM
Love the chicken!
Posted by: Teresa | May 16, 2007 at 12:10 PM
awwww, i'm sorry your sleep deprived - thats the worste. i love the upsie and sdk present, so cute and the soup looks delish!!
Posted by: aria | May 16, 2007 at 12:17 PM
What thoughtful little kitties you have!
I have a couple of Italy travelogue books that could keep you company during those long hours... send me an email with your addy, and I'll mail them off to you tomorrow!
Posted by: s'kat | May 16, 2007 at 12:20 PM
Nice rooster! lol
Posted by: Jeff | May 16, 2007 at 12:39 PM
Sher, this soup is fabulous! I would love to have a bowl although I am sleeping very well normally. :P
Posted by: Anh | May 16, 2007 at 02:43 PM
Oh, how well do I know that death in the day, alert in the night feeling! Up until the first of May I had a job I mostly worked in the afternoon and evenings, but now I am on an 8 to 5 schedule like the rest of the world and let me tell you, it's tough. I just don't like the looks of 8AM!
But the soup, now that I like the looks of. Garbanzos, or cece beans, or chick peas, whatever the name I love them. In a salad, in hummus, anywhere. And I can't stand brothy soups- I want to have to drag my spoon through and leave a trench. Yum!
Yours looks like it would pass the trench test easy. And it is such a pretty color.
Willa
Posted by: Willa | May 16, 2007 at 08:51 PM
Lovely soup, Sher! Bean soup is about the only type I'll eat -- this one will be saved for when it dips below 95 degrees again.
Posted by: Alisha | May 16, 2007 at 09:04 PM
Tanna,
Thank you--I'm hoping to go to sleep before midnight tonight. Fingers crossed!
Ann,
I blindfolded all my chicken pots and pottery, so they don't see this darling little guy from Mexico! Thank you for the name of the book--would love to read that.
LiberalFoodie,
Thank you--I always have my hope that I'll get at least 7 hours sleep. Maybe tonight..... :):)
Gattina,
Ahhh--how I would love to sleep 8 hours. That sounds like heaven! :):)
Patricia,
I'm so glad you get your sleep, then you can keep cooking your wonderful recipes!
Angie,
Thank you! Yes, the soup is very nice, and very simple to make. Inexpensive too!
Lisa,
The recipe takes exactly two cans of chickpeas--so you're ready! Start your engines!
Susan,
I will probably be calling them ceci beans more and more. It sounds so pretty--though I like chickpeas too! :)
Theresa,
I do too! I love chickens.
Aria,
I love the present too--glad their dad helped them pick it out! :):)
s'kat,
Thank you--that's so nice of you. I'll send you the addy. Yes, nice kitties! Cheese and chickens, quite a haul for me!
Jeff,
He is--the designs amaze me!
Anh,
I'm so glad you are sleeping well. Don't stop! :):)
Willa,
I think you will like the soup. It is thick, but fluffy at the same time! :):) Sorry about the new job schedule! I feel for you!
Alisha,
I hear you---when it's very hot, I like to switch to cold soups! :):)
Posted by: sher | May 16, 2007 at 10:52 PM
What a popular soup! We must have lots of sleep deprived bloggers around! It sounds absolutely delicious and one that I am definitely going to try, being a huge chick pea fan!
Posted by: Freya | May 17, 2007 at 06:59 AM
Thats a beautiful Chicken. Didn't know chickpeas are known as "Ceci Beans"
Posted by: sandeepa | May 18, 2007 at 05:53 AM
So glad you said "ceci beans." My mother used to call them that, being Italian, and it used to embarrass me, but now of course I love to use Italian words. But, you know, when you're a kid you don't want to be "weird." Back then people didn't even use the word "pasta"!
But I digress. I adore chickpea soup. There's a white-bean soup I make from a Marcella Hazan book; I think it would work great with ceci. It's just garlic, olive oil, the precooked beans, a little meat broth, parsley, salt and pepper. So good.
Posted by: Lisa | May 19, 2007 at 05:32 AM