Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Pasta e Ceci (Pasta and Chickpeas)
A soul-warming, thick, starchy Roman classic. Part soup, part pasta dish, cooked entirely in one pot with rosemary and garlic.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- chickpeas (canned, or dried and soaked)
- short pasta (ditalini, mixed shapes, or broken spaghetti)
- garlic
- fresh rosemary sprigs
- tomato paste (concentrate)
- extra virgin olive oil
- red pepper flakes
- salt
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Immersion blender (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Aromatize Oil
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium. Add smashed garlic cloves, a whole sprig of fresh rosemary, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Sauté until the garlic is golden.
- 2
Add Tomato
Stir in a tablespoon of rich tomato paste (doppio concentrato) and cook for 1 minute until it darkens and caramelizes slightly.
- 3
Add Chickpeas
Add the drained chickpeas to the pot. Stir to coat them in the flavored oil.
- 4
Add Liquid
Pour in enough hot water or vegetable broth to cover the chickpeas by about 2 inches. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- 5
Create Creaminess
Remove the garlic and rosemary sprig. Use an immersion blender to briefly pulse the soup, pureeing about one-third of the chickpeas. This creates a thick, creamy broth.
- 6
Cook the Pasta
Bring the soup to a lively boil. Add the dry, short pasta directly into the pot.
- 7
Stir Constantly
Cook the pasta in the chickpea broth. You must stir very frequently, as the starchy liquid will easily stick to the bottom of the pot.
- 8
The 'Azzeccata' Texture
Cook until the pasta is al dente and the liquid has reduced to a thick, creamy gravy clinging to the pasta and beans. (In Naples, this thick texture is called 'azzeccata').
- 9
Rest and Serve
Let it rest off the heat for 5 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls with a heavy drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and black pepper.
Cooking Tips
- Pasta e Ceci is not a watery soup; it should be thick enough to eat with a fork.
- Cooking the pasta directly in the same pot is essential to release the starches that create the creamy texture.
Variations
- Pasta e Fagioli: The exact same technique, but substituting cannellini or borlotti beans for the chickpeas.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A pillar of 'cucina povera' (peasant cooking), delivering immense flavor and nutrition from the cheapest pantry staples.
Nutrition Estimate
410 calories · 14g protein · 68g carbs · 10g fat · 9g fiber per serving
