Recipe of the Day

Pasta e Ceci (Italian Pasta and Chickpea Stew)

• Yield 4 servings

• Time 30 minutes

This dish is an adaptation of a recipe that arrived in my in-box this last week courtesy of the foodies over at the New York Times.

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 the addition of more water if needed. 

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. Liquid is added, then uncooked pasta, which cooks as the stew simmers (one less dish to wash). Coarsely-chopped greens are 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 cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 1 medium Stuttgarter onion from the garden, finely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• ½ teaspoon Penzeys cracked Spanish rosemary

• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

• Fresh ground sea salt and black pepper

• 1 pint of garden tomatoes, drained (reserve the juice)

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed

• 1 cup smaller pasta you’ll find lurking in your pantry

• 1 (8 ounce) bag of fresh baby spinach, stems removed (substitute kale, escarole or other greens)

• Grated hard cheese for serving
  

Preparation

1. Heat 3 T oil in a stock pot over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and red-pepper flakes and cook 1 minute more. Season well with salt and pepper.

2. Stir in the tomatoes and the chickpeas, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of your spoon if needed and smash about 1/2 cup of the beans.

3. Add water to the reserved tomato juice to reach three cups of liquid. Add this to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and simmer, stirring frequently to assure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 10-15 minutes. The liquid will mostly be absorbed by the pasta. (I added additional water to achieve my preferred consistency). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Add the greens and stir until wilted. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil and serve with a crusty bread.

Pro Tip

The addition of smoked sausage, uncooked shrimp or cooked chicken makes for a heartier dish. 

 This awesome bread recipe is here.  Give it 24 hours to proof - room temp.....