Onion squash and chickpea soup

Serves 4

50ml/2fl oz extra-virgin olive oil

1 red onion, finely sliced

1 dried red chilli

1 small bunch of sage

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 onion squash, sliced in half, deseeded and sliced into one-inch chunks

16 small plum tomatoes

Sea salt

1 tin of Italian plum tomatoes, chopped

250ml/8fl oz water

350g/111/2oz chickpeas, soaked and dried

1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

60g/21/2oz grated Parmesan

Place a third of the oil into a large, heavy-based pan over a medium heat. When warm, add the onion and chilli, turn down the heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes until the onion is soft. Now add the sage, garlic, onion squash and the small plum tomatoes.

Add a good pinch of salt, stir once or twice, then return the lid to the pan and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, turn the heat up slightly and cook with the lid off until the squash is soft and just beginning to fall apart. Add the water and the cooked chickpeas, a little more salt and cook for a final 20 minutes.

To serve, spoon into warmed bowls, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle over the parsley and Parmesan.