Pasta e Ceci

Pasta e Ceci is a simple and delicious dish made with chickpeas and small pasta shells.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword pasta e ceci

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 477kcal

In a dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onion, stirring occasionally, until it is softened and translucent, about five minutes.
To the onion, add in the tomato paste, garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes and kosher salt. Stir and cook for about two minutes. Add in the chickpeas and broth and increase the heat to medium high. Bring the mixture to a low boil.
Use an immersion blender to blend up about a cup of the mixture (this will help thicken the broth). Add in the ditalini and cook according to package instructions until the pasta is just al dente. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Using Dried Chickpeas: If using dried chickpeas, you will need to cook separately about 1 ½ cups of dried chickpeas to equal the two cans used here. Also, you can use the broth from the chickpea water in place of chicken broth if you'd like.
Broth: Make this recipe vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth or chickpea water for the chicken broth.
Pasta: Ditalini is the classic pasta shape used for Pasta e Ceci. However, any small pasta works such as macaroni or shells. When cooking the pasta, be sure to stir frequently so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Immersion Blender: You can blend part of the liquid using an immersion blender to give a thicker texture. This is optional and you could always just blend about a cup of chickpeas and broth in a blender instead.
Storage: leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can also freeze for up to a month.