Pasta e Ceci (Italian Pasta and Chickpea Stew)

By Colu Henry

Published February 5, 2020

  • Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(10,660)
Comments
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There is an incredible number of recipes for this classic Roman dish, and everyone has an opinion on how it should be prepared. This version is more stew than soup, but it can be loosened up with a bit more water if you prefer. It begins with sautéing onion, tomatoes, garlic and rosemary in olive oil, then tossing in the chickpeas, and smashing a few to give the stew a creamy texture. Water is added, then uncooked pasta, which cooks as the stew simmers (and results in one less dish for you wash). Escarole is folded in right before serving. This flexible stew can go in a number of directions, so tweak it as you see fit, but don’t forget to finish each bowl with grated pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil. Ciao.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

  • ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 1 packed cup canned whole tomatoes, drained

  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed

  • 1 cup ditalini

  • 4 cups roughly chopped escarole, Tuscan kale or radicchio

  • Grated pecorino, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

51 grams carbs; 7 milligrams cholesterol; 396 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 10 grams fiber; 608 milligrams sodium; 15 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not taking on any color, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and red-pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute more. Season well with salt and pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Stir in the tomatoes and the chickpeas, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon or spatula and smashing about ½ cup of the beans.

  3. Step 3

    Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil over high. Add the pasta and simmer, stirring often to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. The water will mostly be absorbed by the pasta, but if you prefer it brothier, you can add ½ to 1 cup water and simmer until warmed through, 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  4. Step 4

    Add the escarole and stir until wilted. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
10,660 user ratings
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Comments

Agatha

Loved this. Although, a little too much libations whilst preparing it... as one does. Added what I thought was double the herbs. Loped off lavender from my herb garden instead... not rosemary. Result was an aromatherapy infused Pasta e Ceci to that will hopefully reduce stress, anxiety, and possibly even mild pain. So one tip - easy on the gin.

Nancy

Why not use juice from tomatoes and broth from chick peas for part of the liquid? Seems to me that would enhance the flavor.

I8cake

Added broth and used regular kale and turned out well. I think the broth proportion is incorrect, as i had to add at least 2 more cups to avoid it being dried pasta. Will make it again.

Emilian

Simple and delicious, but I'm not a fan of how thick this gets after it sits for a while. Yes, you can add more water but that dilutes the flavors you took some time to develop.

Cm

Everybody enjoyed this dish but serves four is a stretch.

Jerr

This is a vegan fave; here are some of my improvs. I often use low sodium V-8 for at least some of the broth; to note it comes in a can and and the can is recyclable. I’m unable to get canned vegetable broth anymore. And the cartons are wasteful from a landfill perspective. I do use the vegetable broth paste sometimes that‘a a glass jar, but it has a very distinct flavor that doesn’t always go with the dish. And for the pasta, I find that the Orecchiette shape cooks up well in many one pot dishes. I also add the extra celery and carrot for the sake of the mirepoix and more veggies why not. And regarding veganism, which I primarily practiced for the past 30 years, I wanted to add that reduced impact on the environment are another benefit of this healthy diet. I came to veganism through studying the macrobiotic diet as a young person, but couldn’t do macrobiotic because it would mean no tomato or potato! Mention also because the macrobiotic diet focused on local foods in season so thereby inherently sustainable. And also learned then how good miso is for you!

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