Description
Pasta e Ceci is a traditional Italian chickpea and pasta stew that combines tender chickpeas, grated vegetables, and small pasta in a savory broth. This comforting and hearty dish is perfect for a filling meal and uses simple, wholesome ingredients to create rich flavors with herbs and a touch of heat from fresh cayenne pepper.
Ingredients
Scale
Chickpeas and Soaking
- 1 cup dry chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
Vegetables and Herbs
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 carrot
- 1 sprig fresh sage leaves
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
Liquids and Pasta
- 3 to 5 cups chicken broth, as needed
- 2 stewed, peeled tomatoes
- 240g pasta ditalini, such as Barilla® Gluten Free Ditalini
Seasonings and Oils
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 fresh cayenne pepper, seeded and minced, or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Soak the Chickpeas: Rinse 1 cup dry chickpeas under cool running water, rubbing them together with your hands to clean. Place chickpeas in a large stew pot, cover with water and add 1 tablespoon baking soda. Swirl to distribute the baking soda evenly and leave to soak for 8 hours or overnight.
- Rinse Chickpeas: The next day, drain the soaked chickpeas using a strainer and rinse well under cold running water, removing any chickpea skins or discolored beans. Set aside.
- Prepare Vegetables: Grate 1 yellow onion, 1 stalk celery, 1 small zucchini, and 1 carrot using the large teeth of a cheese grater. This method provides a more integrated flavor than dicing.
- Sauté Vegetables and Herbs: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the stew pot over medium heat. Add the grated vegetables and sauté for 1 minute. Add 1 sprig each of fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme, stirring occasionally, and cook until the onions become soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Cook Chickpeas and Tomatoes: Add 3 cups chicken broth, all soaked chickpeas, and 2 stewed peeled tomatoes to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chickpeas become tender, approximately 1 hour.
- Add Pasta and Adjust Consistency: Stir in 240g ditalini pasta and continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite. Add more broth if needed to maintain a thick, stew-like consistency.
- Season and Serve: Taste the stew and season with salt and black pepper to your preference. Remove from heat and ladle into serving bowls. Top each bowl with minced fresh cayenne pepper and a drizzle of 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil for added flavor and heat.
Notes
- Pasta e Ceci is a classic Italian comfort food, perfect for cold days or whenever you want a hearty meal.
- If ditalini pasta is unavailable, broken spaghetti pieces can be used as a substitute.
- Grating the vegetables instead of chopping them finely creates a smoother texture and blends the flavors throughout the stew.
- Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper based on your heat preference.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 378 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 1172 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 59 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 2 mg
