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Pasta e Ceci

Serves 4 to 6 Entree vegetarian

Pasta e Ceci

Pasta e Ceci, a Roman staple, is a comforting dish that finds its way to the table on quiet evenings when simplicity beckons. Born from the Roman kitchen’s love for straightforward, honest ingredients, it’s a reflection of the city’s culinary pragmatism. Here, olive oil flows generously, and the salt is gauged by instinct rather than measure, creating a dish that feels like home.

This pasta dish, with its tender chickpeas and sweet San Marzano tomatoes, delivers a rich, satisfying mouthful. Each bite is softened by the warmth of garlic and a whisper of rosemary. It’s not about presentation but about the flavors that meld beautifully, offering a taste of Rome in every spoonful.

Ingredients

  • 200 gditalini pasta
  • 400 gcooked chickpeas
  • 400 gSan Marzano tomatoes — crushed
  • 3 clovesgarlic — sliced
  • 4 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pinchrosemary
  • to tastefine sea salt

Method

  1. Begin by preparing your ingredients. Peel and finely chop 3 cloves of garlic. Drain and rinse 400 g of cooked chickpeas if they are canned. Crush 400 g of San Marzano tomatoes with your hands in a bowl, removing any hard stem ends. Measure out 200 g of ditalini pasta and set aside.
  2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil over low heat. Add the chopped garlic and a pinch of rosemary. Stir gently and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant and just begins to turn golden, ensuring it does not brown, which would make it bitter.
  3. Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes to the pot. Increase the heat to medium and let the tomatoes simmer, stirring occasionally, until they thicken slightly and the oil begins to separate from the tomatoes, indicating that the flavors are melding together.
  4. Stir in the rinsed chickpeas, ensuring they are well coated with the tomato mixture. Allow them to cook for a few minutes until they are warmed through and begin to absorb the flavors of the sauce. The chickpeas should feel tender but not mushy when pressed.
  5. Pour in enough water to cover the chickpeas and tomatoes by about an inch. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then add the ditalini pasta. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  6. Cook the pasta in the sauce until it is al dente, absorbing the flavors of the dish. The pasta should be tender with a slight bite, and the sauce should be thick enough to coat the pasta and chickpeas without being soupy.
  7. Taste the dish and add fine sea salt to your preference, stirring well to distribute the seasoning evenly. Serve the Pasta e Ceci warm, accompanied by good bread or polenta, allowing the simple, hearty flavors to shine.
Cover of Authentic Italian Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Italian Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Italian Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Italian volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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