
Ceci and White Peach Salad
Summer Recipes
When white peaches, especially the flat ones called Saturnine come in to season, our family goes crazy for them. The season lasts no longer than 8 weeks so we try to use them as much as possible, also in salads.
Chickpeas (ceci in Italian) make a great partner because their earthiness meets the highly floral perfume of the white peaches perfectly – here opposites really do attract.
This salad makes a great lunchtime dish to accompany a board of cured meats or cheeses and because the chickpeas are fairly filling, it means you tend to eat less bread.
Ingredients
4 people as a side dish or part of a lunch
350-500g chickpeas, depending on your appetite. Soak dried chickpeas over night or if you’re in a hurry use pre-cooked ones, ideally the plump ones from a jar for best results
2 white fleshed peaches
10 cherry tomatoes
1/2 small red onion
flat leaf parsley
salt, pepper and olive oil
Which EVOO to use?
Typically I dress this with a squeeze of lemon and a central Italian extra virgin olive oil that has a good level of bitterness such as Il Sincero from Frantoio Viola or Le Trebbiane from Frantoio Franci.
Method
Drain and rinse your chickpeas and place in a serving bowl. Chop the white fleshed peaches, retaining the skin and quarter the cherry tomatoes.
Finely slice the red onion and flat leaf parsley.
Combine well and season to taste.