Chickpea and Chestnut Soup

Roast the chestnuts until the skin is well-marked and the inside is tender. Transfer them while still warm to a cloth and let them rest for a few minutes: the retained heat makes it easier to remove the skin and the peel.

Peel the chestnuts while they're still warm, carefully removing the outer skin. Break them into irregular pieces, large enough to be recognizable in the soup and to have a soft but not completely crumbly texture.

Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a shallow pan and add the garlic, rosemary, canned whole peeled tomatoes and salt. Cook over medium heat until the sauce is smooth and fragrant, with the tomatoes softened and the sauce still light, not too thick.

Cook the chickpeas separately until tender. Test for doneness by pressing a chickpea: it should be soft in the center, without remaining hard or grainy. Keep the mixture moist enough, as it will need to absorb the sauce and chestnuts without drying out.

Add the sauce to the cooked chickpeas and stir gently. Let the tomato and oil blend evenly throughout the cooking liquid, until the soup is evenly colored and has a distinct aroma of garlic and rosemary.

Add the chopped chestnuts to the soup and stir without crushing them. Continue cooking until they are flavored and blend with the chickpeas; the result should be soft and full-bodied, with the chestnut pieces still distinguishable.

Serve the soup piping hot, after checking the salt and consistency. The liquid should envelop the chickpeas and chestnuts without being dry, while the rosemary aroma should complement the tomato and oil without overpowering them.