Chickpeas and Sage Soup (Zuppa di Ceci e Salvia)

INGREDIENTS: (4 servings)
400 Grams dried Chickpeas
50 Grams Pork Lard
2 Cloves Garlic
½ Onion
1 Carrot
Celery
2 Tbsp Tomato puree
4 Bread slices
2 Tbsp grated Pecorino cheese
4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sage leaves
Salt
Pepper

Soak overnight the clean chickpeas in cold water.
The day after drain them and put in a pot with 150 centilitres warm salty water.
Cook to low heat, covered, for about 2 hours.
In the meantime mince lard, garlic, onion, carrot (scraped off and washed), celery and a sage leaf.
Gild the minced vegetables in a pan with olive oil to low heat for 10 minutes.
Add the cooked chickpeas with their broth, the tomato purée, the sage leaves and boil all to low heat for 30 minutes.
Toast in oven the slices of bread and place on a dish, pour the soup on, add pepper and the olive oil.
Serve with grated pecorino cheese.