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Turn a few basic pantry items into pure Italian comfort with pasta e ceci. It’s a cozy, filling combo of pasta and chickpeas that’s super easy and will warm you right up. Italian families have leaned on this for ages, and you don’t need much time or fuss to whip it up.
I found this go-to dish during a hectic week when my fridge was pretty much empty. The first bite made me feel like I was eating in a tiny Italian café, and now it’s what my friends always ask for when they visit on chilly nights.
Cozy Ingredients
- Pecorino cheese: makes everything taste salty and rich while helping thicken things up
- Vegetable stock: makes up the tasty base for your sauce
- White wine: helps scrape up the flavor bits and adds a zippy touch
- Chili flakes: a pinch brings some gentle heat without being too spicy
- Tomato paste: gives that rich punch of tomato to tie it all together
- Fresh rosemary: the herbal flavor really pops with the chickpeas
- Garlic cloves: throws in that deep, savory hit
- White onion or shallots: brings a sweet start to the dish
- Olive oil: drizzle a splash of extra virgin for the most flavor
- Ditalini pasta: these cute tubes grab hold of all the sauce
- Chickpeas: the stars here, they make everything heartier, especially when you mash a few
Easy Step-by-Step
- Finishing Touch:
- As soon as you’re done cooking, stir in Pecorino cheese until it’s smooth and melted right in. Let the heat do its thing to give you a lush sauce covering every spoonful.
- Pasta Soaks Up Flavor:
- Toss the uncooked pasta into your bubbling sauce. Keep an eye on it and stir so nothing sticks. Cook until it’s just tender, which lets the pasta give off its starch and thicken things up nice and creamy.
- Sauce Layers Are Built:
- Add chickpeas and stock to your pan. Keep it at a gentle simmer. Smash about a quarter of the chickpeas on the side to help thicken everything up without needing flour or cream.
- All About Tomato:
- Spoon in the tomato paste. Stir for a couple of minutes until it looks a bit deeper and smells sweet and savory. That’s when you know it’s ready.
- Bring On the Flavors:
- Once the onion’s soft, toss in sliced garlic. Sauté for a minute. Add chopped rosemary and chili flakes, stirring for about a minute until it all smells incredible. The heat will pull out all those yummy oils and flavors.
- Get Things Started:
- Heat up olive oil in a skillet, medium heat. Cook your diced onions until soft and edges are just golden, about 5–6 minutes. Take your time—this makes the dish taste sweeter and richer.
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Chickpeas really shine here. I first tried this in a little spot in central Italy. The owner told me folks used to have this on Fridays when they skipped meat. She’d use homegrown chickpeas that gave this unbelievable flavor, and that’s what I try to match anytime I make it.
Old-School Origins
Pasta e ceci comes from Italian “peasant cooking”—turning cheap ingredients into filling meals. This bowl has kept folks going since way back, especially in winter when there wasn’t much fresh food around. The beans and pasta together give you protein, which was a big deal when times were tough. There’s versions all over Italy—sometimes brothy, sometimes thick—but all of them show how you can make magic out of pantry stuff.
Texture Wins
You want the end result nice and silky, coating the pasta but not turning gloopy. The trick is to crush just some chickpeas—so you get a creamy base and still have a few whole for bite. Cook your pasta a bit less than the bag says, because it’ll soak up more sauce while it sits. If your pot gets too thick, just add some hot water or broth until it’s smooth again. That’s how the Italian nonnas keep it perfect.
Tasty Twists
This is one of those dishes you can totally play with. Want more umami? Toss in a chopped anchovy or two with your garlic—they’ll melt right in and give a deep savoriness. Use red wine instead of white for a bolder flavor, especially in cold weather. Feel free to mix in spinach or kale in the last few minutes for a pop of green. Switch rosemary for thyme or sage if that’s what you have. For even more flavor, pour a bit of really good olive oil and crack black pepper on top just before you dig in.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I use a different type of pasta?
Sure, swap in elbow macaroni or orzo. Any little pasta that you’ve got will work.
- → What can I use instead of white wine?
Go for white wine vinegar or just splash in a bit of lemon juice if you want the kick but don't have wine.
- → How do I store leftovers?
Just pop any extra in a sealed container in the fridge for up to five days. Warm back up with some veggie broth to keep things creamy.
- → Can I add more vegetables to this dish?
Totally! Throw in chopped carrots, celery, or even a handful of cherry tomatoes for color and bite.
- → Is this dish suitable for vegans?
If you want it vegan, skip the pecorino or toss on some plant cheese instead.