Sausage, Chickpea, and Potato Soup

• 1 cup dried chickpeas (I use a 14oz can of chickpeas, sometimes two, depends on how much you like chickpeas)
• Salt
• ½ pound fresh Italian Sausage (I use a pound, usually hot)
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced
• 3 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, peeled and sliced (½ cup)
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 14 ounce can crushed Italian Plum tomatoes (I use a 28 ounce can, and sometimes throw in another 14 oz can of diced tomatoes)
• ¾ pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
• 6 cups chicken broth (I usually use one box, about 4 cups, of Swanson's broth)
• Toasts of Tuscan bread, rubbed with garlic

If you are using dried chickpeas, bring water to a boil in a 4-quart pot and pour it over the chickpeas and 1 tablespoon salt (the salt is very important, helping the peas to soften). Soak overnight. Drain and pour boiling water over them. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or until tender.

Remove the casing of the sausage and crumble the sausage with the rosemary and one garlic clove. Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a 6-quart heavy-bottomed pot and add the sausage with the garlic clove. Sauté for a few minutes, stirring all the while. Transfer the sausage to a plate and discard the garlic.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in the pot. Add the onion and the last two crushed garlic cloves and the red pepper flakes; stir for 5 minutes occasionally. When the onion turns a rich tawny color, stir in the tomatoes. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once in a while. Add the chickpeas, potatoes, and the reserved sausage; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Pour the broth in the pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and cook at a gentle boil for 40 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender.

Variation: If desired, mash several potato cubes in the soup to thicken.

Taste and correct seasoning before serving. Place a toast rubbed with garlic in each soup plate; pour the soup over the bread and dribble olive oil on top of the soup.

Serves 6-8

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