Pasta e Ceci (Italian Chickpea and Pasta Stew)

Prof. Buddy Trantow

Updated on May 10, 2024

Ingredients

1 cup dry chickpeas
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 yellow onion
1 stalk celery
1 small zucchini
1 carrot
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sprig fresh sage leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
3 cups chicken broth, or more as needed
2 peeled whole canned tomatoes
8 1/2 ounces ditalini pasta, such as Barilla® Gluten Free Ditalini
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 fresh cayenne pepper, seeded and minced, or more to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Rinse chickpeas under cool water. Pick up handfuls of chickpeas and rub them together with your hands under the water to wash chickpeas. Place chickpeas in a large stew pot, cover with water and add baking soda; swirl chickpeas and water to distribute baking soda. Leave to soak for 8 hours or overnight.
The next day, pour chickpeas through a strainer and rinse well under cold running water, eliminating any skins or discolored chickpeas; set aside.
Grate onion, celery, zucchini, and carrot on the large teeth of a cheese grater, This step is very important as grated vegetables give a different flavor than diced.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the stew pot over medium heat, and sauté grated vegetables for 1 minute. Mix in sage, rosemary, and thyme and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add 3 cups broth, all the chickpeas, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until chickpeas are tender, about 1 hour. Stir in pasta. Add more broth only as needed to achieve a thick, stew-like consistency.
Cook until pasta is tender with a bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and divide amongst serving bowls. Top each bowl with minced cayenne pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

378	Calories
10g	Fat
59g	Carbs
14g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 378
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10g	13%
Saturated Fat 1g	7%
Cholesterol 2mg	1%
Sodium 1172mg	51%
Total Carbohydrate 59g	22%
Dietary Fiber 8g	28%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 14g	29%
Vitamin C 21mg	23%
Calcium 61mg	5%
Iron 3mg	19%
Potassium 741mg	16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.