celeriac, chickpea and cabbage soup

zuppa di sedanorapa, ceci e verza

for 6

800 g celeriac, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes

200 g dried chickpeas, cooked (see here), or 800 g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

500 g Savoy cabbage, thick stalks discarded, finely shredded

4 tablespoons olive oil

150 g pancetta, cut into fine matchsticks

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed

1 medium red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1.25 litres chicken stock (see here)

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 ciabatta loaf, cut on the diagonal into crostini

1 garlic clove, peeled

extra virgin olive oil

150 g Parmesan, freshly grated

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat the olive oil in a thick-bottomed saucepan, add the pancetta, bay leaves and fennel seeds and cook for a few minutes to allow the flavours to combine. Add the onion and celeriac, stir together and cook in the oil for 8–10 minutes. The onion should begin to colour and the celeriac soften. Now add the cabbage and the cooked chickpeas. Stir together and cook for a few minutes, then add enough hot stock just to cover. Season with salt and pepper and simmer gently for 30 minutes or until the celeriac is soft and the chickpeas have begun to break up.

Toast the crostini on both sides and rub lightly with the garlic. Place a slice in each soup bowl, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and scatter with Parmesan. Ladle in the soup, sprinkle with parsley and generously pour over extra virgin olive oil to serve.