Pasta e Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas)
Servings: 4 people
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cans (15-ounces each) (460 grams) chickpeas or 3 cups of cooked chickpeas
- 1 can (15-ounce) (400 grams) crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups (1¼ Liters) vegetable broth + 1 cup to finish cooking the pasta or more if you like a soupier consistency.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1½ cup (200 grams) ditalini pasta or other dry Italian pasta
- Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven.Add 1 large onion (chopped) and fry gently for 4 minutes. Add 2 cloves garlic (pressed), 1 sprig rosemary, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and fry while stirring for 1 more minute.
- Now stir in the 2 cans (15-ounces each) chickpeas, 1 can (15-ounce) crushed tomatoes, and 4 cups vegetable broth.Season with 1 teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes.Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.Discard the rosemary and blend some of the chickpeas – not a lot – with an immersion blender.
- Add 1½ cup ditalini pasta with 1 more cup vegetable broth and simmer for 10 more minutes until the pasta is cooked al dente.Stir often; the pasta will stick to the bottom if you don’t stir it.You can add more vegetable broth to taste if the sauce is too thick and you prefer a soupier pasta e ceci.
- Taste and adjust for salt, then turn the heat off and let cool down for a couple of minutes.Serve in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, some freshly cracked pepper, and optionally a grating of parmesan cheese.
Nutrition information is an estimate for one portion of pasta e ceci out of four portions.
STORAGE & MAKE AHEAD
Make ahead: to make pasta e ceci in advance, we recommend undercooking the pasta by 5 minutes so that it doesn’t overcook as it sits in the hot stew. Then, when you are ready to serve, warm up the dish with an extra cup of water for a few minutes, and you are good to go.
Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb most of the liquid and thicken the dish. Reheat with a dash of water, either in a pot or in the microwave.
Freezer: this recipe is not the best for freezing because the pasta will get mushy once thawed.
If you don’t mind that, you can freeze it in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months, then reheat it in the microwave.
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