2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 anchovies, optional
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 sprig rosemary, leaves pulled
70g or so, salumi, pancetta, bacon, a crumbled sausage or leave out
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 x 400g chickpeas, drained (or other canned beans)
500ml favourite stock (can also use water)
Rind of Parmigiano Reggiano, optional
salt, dried chilli to season
70g small dried pasta
handful of greens such as cavolo nero, kale, or spinach

Crispy topping
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 sprig rosemary

Lemon zest to serve
Parmesan or parmigiano reggiano

I start with an onion, cooked down in olive oil for about 5 minutes. You could pad it out with celery and carrot if you like. Then a few anchovies — I can’t help myself — but leave them out if they’re not your thing. Garlic and rosemary go in next, followed by a crumble of salumi I found at the back of the fridge. Pancetta, a lone sausage, bit of bacon — whatever’s hanging about. Or skip the meat altogether.

Once it all smells good, I stir in some tomato paste for depth. Then a handful of chickpeas, giving them a bit of a squish so they break up and thicken the broth (cannellini, borlotti or butter beans would all work too). Pour in stock and drop in a parmigiano rind if you’ve got one. Then the rest of the chickpeas and the pasta. Check seasoning and adjust.

Let it all simmer until the pasta is nearly done. Add a few handfuls of greens — silverbeet, spinach, kale, whatever you’ve got.

To finish, fry some garlic and rosemary in olive oil until crisp. Ladle the soup into bowls and spoon over the garlicky oil. Add lemon zest, a pinch of dried chilli, and a shower of cheese to bring it all home.