Mangold stew "Zemin"

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 800 g chard
• 400 g chickpeas
• 1 stalk(s) celery
• 2 carrots
• 1 large onion(s), red
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup tomatoes, pureed
• 1 sprig(s) rosemary
• 3 sage leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp wine
• Salt
• chili pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest time approx. 5 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

Recipe from Genoa

Wash the chard thoroughly, cut into strips about 5 cm wide, and set aside to drain. Puree half of the chickpeas. Finely chop the onions, garlic, and celery; coarsely grate the carrots. Heat olive oil in a wide saucepan, then add the chopped vegetables and sauté over low heat until golden. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, sage, and bay leaves, and pour in the wine and a cup of water. Simmer for a few minutes. Add the prepared chard to the pan, cover, and simmer over low heat until reduced in volume. Add the chickpeas. Let the stew simmer until the chard turns dark green and the fat from the sautéed vegetables (soffritto) floats to the surface. Stir occasionally and season with salt and chili pepper. If too much water evaporates, add a little more. After about 30 minutes, the zemin is ready. Remove the pot from the heat, remove the bay leaves, and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. If you prefer to cook the chickpeas yourself, add the sage and bay leaves directly to the cooking water, omitting the herbs from the soup. Use the chickpea cooking water instead of regular water to make the soup.