Molise (Apennine areas)
Cicerchie (grass peas, Lathyrus sativus) are an ancient drought-resistant legume grown in the Apennine regions. This Molisano preparation braises them with pork rind, guanciale, and a preserved sausage until the broth becomes starchy and the legumes melt slightly at the edges. Finished with a generous scraping of aged pecorino and a thread of olive oil. Cicerchie are larger than farro, nuttier than chickpeas, and have a slightly bitter edge that requires the long-cooked pork fat to balance.
Earthy, slightly bitter legume enriched by pork collagen and sharpened by aged pecorino — among the most ancient pulses still cooked in Italy, prized for their survivability
{"Cicerchie must be soaked 48 hours (changing water twice daily) — they contain neurotoxins removed by soaking","Cook without salt until fully tender (1.5–2 hours) — salt hardens the skin","Pork rind added from the start for collagen; salt mid-way through cooking","The broth should be starchy enough to coat a spoon without any thickening agent","Finish with raw olive oil and aged pecorino added at the very end, not during cooking"}
{"Wild fennel seeds added to the cooking water are traditional in Molise","The dish can be served thick (almost a purée) or as a looser minestra — both are correct","A drizzle of chilli oil (from the local dried Molisano peperoncino) is the regional garnish"}
{"Insufficient soaking — cicerchie have anti-nutritional factors that require extended water soaking","Adding salt too early — the skins never soften properly","Under-cooking — the slight bitterness of cicerchie only resolves with full cooking"}
Cucina Povera del Molise — Tradizioni Campesine