Ceci in Zimino con Piselli

Name: Ceci in Zimino con Piselli
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil; ½ brown onion, finely diced; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 sprig rosemary, leaves finely chopped; ¼ cup dry white wine; 1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 100g baby spinach, washed and dried; 250g green peas, shelled; Focaccia, for serving

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Ceci in zimino is a classic Italian dish. In Liguria, chickpeas, cuttlefish, and salt cod are all often cooked ‘in zimino’, meaning braised with spinach or silver beet and sometimes tomato. Zimino comes from the Arabic word ‘semin’, meaning ‘rich sauce’, and the spinach in this dish is meant to be cooked until it breaks down to form part of the rich braising liquid. The green peas are my addition inspired by another traditional Ligurian braise, seppie e piselli (cuttlefish and peas), so leave them out if you prefer. While ceci in zimino is traditional, you could use any canned legumes, such as cannellini or borlotti beans, or a mixture. Focaccia is an excellent accompaniment for dunking into the rich sauce (see video below).

Serves 2

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ brown onion, finely diced
Salt flakes, to taste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sprig rosemary, leaves finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
¼ cup dry white wine
1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100g baby spinach, washed and dried
250g green peas, shelled
Focaccia, for serving

Method

Heat oil in a high-sided frying pan or cast-iron dish over low heat.
Add onion and a good pinch of salt, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not coloured.
Add garlic and rosemary and stir for 30 seconds or so, until aromatic.
Add wine, increase heat to high and boil for a minute or so, stirring well.
Add chickpeas and spinach, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in peas, cover and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes or so until they are just cooked to your liking.
Serve with plenty of focaccia to dunk into the sauce.