The chickpea and Tuscan kale soup is a creamy, velvety legume soup — a healthy comfort food.
Pizzoccheri are made with wholemeal buckwheat flour, are high in fiber and have a glycemic index of 50.
The Tuscan kale belongs to the Brassicaceae family.
It is typical of winter Tuscan cooking; once difficult to find in Sicily, today it is available at better-stocked produce stands.
It has long dark leaves that are curled and blistered, rustic and thick.
The central rib, fibrous and hard to chew, should be removed.
It has a strong, intense flavor.
Preparation times
Vary depending on whether you use dried chickpeas or pre-cooked chickpeas.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Adjust the quantities of pasta and legumes according to your dietary plan.
- 4 oz pizzoccheri
- leaves Tuscan kale (5-6 large or more)
- as needed water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch baking soda
- cooked chickpeas (2 servings, weight according to your dietary plan)
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- 1 bouillon cube (homemade vegetable, optional)
- 7/8 cup water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (whole) (with grinder)
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
Suggested tools
- Knife
- Cutting board
- 1 Saucepan with lid, preferably glass
Preparation
Prepare the chickpeas following the procedure described in cooking chickpeas | basic recipe or, if you already have them in the freezer, thaw them.
Alternatively, you can use canned precooked chickpeas.
Remember to rinse them well under running water: canned legumes often contain additives, salt and sometimes sugar.
Among packaging types, glass containers are preferable to cans as they are less prone to deterioration.
Clean the Tuscan kale by removing the outer tough and damaged leaves.
Wash the leaves and let them drain in a colander.
Remove the central rib.When boiling it, use as little water as possible to best preserve its beneficial properties.
In a pot, bring salted water to a boil.
Add the leaves and a pinch of baking soda so the leaves keep a bright green color and cook for about 10 minutes.With a slotted spoon, gently lift the leaves and transfer them to a container.
Do not discard the cooking water; we will use it to cook the pizzoccheri.
In a saucepan warm a sprinkle of garlic powder.
Add:
– the chickpeas;
– the blanched Tuscan kale leaves;
– an vegetable bouillon cube [optional];
– 7/8 cup of water;
and bring to a boil.
Let simmer for a few minutes until you reach the desired consistency.Adjust salt to taste.
For brothy first courses, to avoid glycemic spikes it is advisable to cook the pasta separately, then rinse it and add it to the brothy sauce prepared separately; in this way the starch released by the pasta into the cooking water is removed.
Cook the pizzoccheri al dente in the kale cooking water if you kept it, drain them and quickly rinse under running water.
Meanwhile, bring the chickpea and Tuscan kale soup back to a boil.
Add the pizzoccheri and stir.
Plate.
Grind the pepper and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.Your chickpea and Tuscan kale soup with pizzoccheri is ready.
Enjoy your meal!
Pizzoccheri with chickpeas and Tuscan kale is a complete dish; add your portion of vegetables to compose a balanced meal or one-dish meal that helps keep blood sugar stable.
Storage, tips and variations
Meal prep
Boil a whole bunch of Tuscan kale leaves so you have several portions available to enjoy as a side dish and to use as an ingredient.
Also try
– chickpea and Tuscan kale soup with whole wheat pasta;
– chickpea and Tuscan kale soup with brown rice;
– chickpea and Tuscan kale soup with whole grain bread.
Add a pinch of coarsely chopped red chili if you like it.
Also try the bean and Tuscan kale soup beans and Tuscan kale.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
If you need to reduce fiber
After cooking, remove the skins or husks of the chickpeas.
How can I substitute Tuscan kale?
You can use other cabbage varieties.
You can substitute Tuscan kale with broccoli or cauliflower.Can someone with celiac disease eat pizzoccheri?
Originally gluten-free, today pizzoccheri are produced by mixing buckwheat flour [gluten-free] with durum wheat flour.
Therefore, in case of gluten intolerance, make sure the package states “buckwheat pizzoccheri gluten-free”.
