Recipes · Italian · Pasta e legumi

Pasta e Ceci

Chickpeas and pasta simmered together with anchovy, rosemary, and tomato concentrate.

Pasta e Ceci
NoteServes 4. Time: about 1.5 hours plus chickpea soaking. If short on time, the chickpeas can be cooked the day before and stored in the fridge.

Ingredients

Instructions

Soak the chickpeas in salted water overnight.

Drain the chickpeas and place in a pot with enough water to cover by at least 3 inches. Season with salt and bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered, skimming the foam as needed, until evenly tender with a slight bite (about 1–1.5 hours, depending on the chickpeas).

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the anchovies and stir with a wooden spoon until they dissolve into the oil.

Add the tomato concentrate and 1/2 cup of the chickpea cooking water. Stir and simmer about 5 minutes, until smooth. Discard the garlic, add the chickpeas to the pan, mix thoroughly (you can mash or blend some of the chickpeas for a creamier texture and stir them back in), and remove from heat.

Cook the mezzi paccheri 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Return the pan to the stove over medium-high heat. Add the pasta along with 1/2 cup pasta water and sauté until the sauce coats the pasta, adding more water (1/4 cup at a time) as needed, about 2 minutes.

Serve with a sprinkle of black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.