Black chickpeas are ancient beans which were generally cultivated in the South of Italy. Their cultivation, which had to be carried out exclusively by hand, was abandoned in the middle of the 20th century to be taken up again in the last decades. They originally come from Murgia, but they are also cultivated in Basilicata; these black chickpeas can withstand bad weather conditions. They need to be soaked and cooked slightly longer than traditional chickpeas, but they have far greater nutritional values.

As a matter of fact, these chickpeas are packed with vitamins (B, C, K and E), are high in iron, mineral salts, carbohydrates and proteins. Therefore, a black chickpea soup is a very nutritional dish.

We suggest soaking these black chickpeas overnight and cooking them in abundant water for at least two hours. Remember to salt the water just before they’re done cooking, so that their skin stays soft!

We like to eat them with:

• Cavatelli pasta and prawns

• A thread of rosemary-infused olive oil