The next two recipes are adapted from the archives of the New York Times.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 medium carrots, cut in small dice 1 celery stalk, cut in small dice Salt 4 large garlic cloves, minced 7 cups water 2 tablespoons tomato paste A bouquet garni consisting of 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs thyme, tied together with kitchen string or tied into a piece of cheesecloth 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed, leaves washed and cut crosswise in thin strips (chiffonade) (4 cups, tightly packed, chiffonade) 1/2 cup soup pasta, like elbow macaroni or broken spaghetti Freshly ground pepper to taste Freshly grated Parmesan
Preparation:
Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about three minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and garlic and stir for about a minute, and then stir in the water, tomato paste and the bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bouquet garni.
Add the Swiss chard and the pasta to the soup, bring back to a simmer, and simmer another 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Grind in some pepper, taste and adjust seasonings. It should be savory and rich-tasting. Serve in wide soup bowls, with a sprinkling of Parmesan over the top.