The LA Times has fallen in love with cicerchie, the ancient bean that’s been on Italian tables for centuries. Journalist Margy Rochlin was first introduced to these uncommon legumes when she visited the Alberti family in Umbria:
“Every fan of cicerchia has a story of discovery. Mine stretches back a couple of years ago when I visited the organic Bio Alberti Farm, which sat on 1,200 acres of rolling hills near the tiny village of Poggio Aquilone in Umbria. […] It was there I was introduced to a bean called cicerchia.”
The Albertis made us fall for cicerchie too! First, their distinctive, irregular appearance and golden color catch your attention. Sometimes described as primitive or wild chickpeas, they do look very rustic, especially when dried. Once rehydrated and boiled, they have a deep, earthy, unique taste that leaves you wanting more. Cicerchie have a cult following, especially among chefs, just look at what chef April Bloomfield told Margy:
“I fell in love with them instantly. […] Once they are cooked, they taste like a pea crossed with a chickpea. Even though they are dry, they have a certain freshness.”
Using Cicerchie
Like most dried beans, first, you’ll need to soak cicerchie in water for 12 hours or so. Then, cook them in fresh water until they’re tender. From there, there are lots of ways to eat cicerchie. Chef Bloomfield “likes to serve them as a silky purée along with braised spiced short ribs”. Or, take a minimalist approach and serve them sprinkled with Trapani sea salt and drizzled with lots of Umbrian extra virgin olive oil from Frantoio Gaudenzi. This will bring out all their sweet, vegetal notes.
Back from her trip in Umbria, Margy cooked them according to the recipe she found on the back of one of her cicerchie packets:
“I soaked them for 24 hours and then simmered them in salted water with some fresh oregano and mint leaves, garlic, a single carrot, a wedge of onion and a stalk of celery. Given my creaky Italian, I can’t swear that I followed the recipe correctly. But they came out perfectly, delicious and grassy-tasting.”
You don’t need to do much to make cicerchie taste delicious. Grazie Margy for featuring this unique ancient legume in the LA Times.
