I love cicerchie. An ancient form of chickpea, they look like a cross between corn and human teeth (weird, I know)! Cotechino is traditionally with lentils, but in this dish it pairs wonderfully with the cicerchie. For a vegetarian take on this dish, omit the cotechino and top the cicerchie with a fried egg. Be sure to buy a great loaf of crusty bread to serve on the side. Serve with a crisp tricolore salad and an wine Umbrian wine.
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Cicerchie with Cotechino
recipe by Alexander Palermo
Serves 4
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1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
5 large sage leaves
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T butter
3 large garlic cloves, cut in half
2-3 bird’s eye chillis, crushed
1 pound piece cotechino
1 pound bag cicerchie, soaked in cool water overnight and drained
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water
salt
extra virgin olive oil
bread for serving
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Melt the butter and olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced vegetables and crushed bird’s eye chillis and cook until soft. Add the whole cotechino, cicerchie and sage. Stir to coat and allow cicerchie to toast slightly, about 4 minutes. Add the water to cover, about 4 cups. You want the cicerchie to be covered by 1/2 inch of water for the entire cooking period. Check in with during the cooking process and add more water if necessary.
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Cook cicerchie at barely a simmer for about 3 hours, until cicerchie is soft.
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Check the dish for salt. Add salt to taste.
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To serve, remove the whole piece of cotechino and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Spoon the cicerchie into warm serving bowls, top with cotechino slices and drizzle with a spicy extra virgin olive oil. Serve crusty bread on the side.
.
I love cicerchie. An ancient form of chickpea, they look like a cross between corn and human teeth (weird, I know)! Cotechino is traditionally served with lentils, but in this dish it pairs wonderfully with the cicerchie. For a vegetarian take on this dish, omit the cotechino and top the cicerchie with a fried egg. Be sure to buy a great loaf of crusty bread to serve on the side. Serve with a crisp tricolore salad and an Umbrian wine.
.
Cicerchie with Cotechino
recipe by Alexander Palermo
photos by Amy Sheridan
Serves 4
.
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
5 large sage leaves
1 T butter
3 large garlic cloves, cut in half
2-3 birdseye chillis, crushed
1 pound piece cotechino (we buy ours from The Fatted Calf)
1 pound bag cicerchie, soaked in cool water overnight and drained
.
water
salt
bread for serving
.
Melt the butter and olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced vegetables and crushed bird’s eye chillis and cook until soft. Add the whole cotechino, cicerchie and sage. Stir to coat and allow cicerchie to toast slightly, about 4 minutes. Add the water to cover, about 4 cups. You want the cicerchie to be covered by 1/2 inch of water for the entire cooking period. Check in with during the cooking process and add more water if necessary.
.
Cook cicerchie at barely a simmer for about 3 hours, until cicerchie is soft.
.
Check the dish for salt. Add salt to taste.
.
To serve, remove the whole piece of cotechino and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Spoon the cicerchie into warm serving bowls, top with cotechino slices and drizzle with a spicy extra virgin olive oil. Serve crusty bread on the side.
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