Serves 6
I have very fond memories of my Sicilian grandmother making this pasta con ceci. It was her quick-to-the-table, one-pot supper made with comforting, filling, and economical pantry ingredients. Small macaroni cooks in a pan with canned chickpeas and their liquid in a garlicky tomato broth. The end result is somewhere between a sauce and a stew. Add fresh spinach toward the end of cooking and you don’t have to make a salad.
| ¼ | cup olive oil |
| 3 | large cloves garlic, thinly sliced |
| 2 | tablespoons tomato paste |
| ¼ | teaspoon crushed red pepper |
| 2 | cans (about 15 ounces each) chickpeas (reserve liquid) |
| 3 | cups water |
| 1 | teaspoon salt, or more to taste |
| 1½ | cups ditalini or other small tubular pasta |
| 4 | cups coarsely chopped fresh spinash |
| 1 | cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or other firm cheese |
| 1 | tablespoon lemon juice |
| Black pepper, to taste | |
| Extra olive oil (for sprinkling) | |
| Extra freshly grated pecorino romano (for serving) |
1. In a medium Dutch oven or another heavy flameproof casserole, combine the oil and garlic. Place over medium-low heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it begins to sizzle and the garlic is translucent.
2. Add the tomato paste and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the tomato paste darkens and the mixture is fragrant and slightly caramelized.
3. Add the chickpeas and their liquid with the water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add the pasta to the pan and stir well. Simmer, stirring often, for 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender but still has some bite.
5. Add the spinach and cook 1 minute more. The spinach should be bright green and just wilted.
6. Turn off the heat and stir in the 1 cup Pecorino Romano and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if you like. Sprinkle with olive oil, more cheese, and black pepper.
Claudia Catalano
Serves 6
I have very fond memories of my Sicilian grandmother making this pasta con ceci. It was her quick-to-the-table, one-pot supper made with comforting, filling, and economical pantry ingredients. Small macaroni cooks in a pan with canned chickpeas and their liquid in a garlicky tomato broth. The end result is somewhere between a sauce and a stew. Add fresh spinach toward the end of cooking and you don’t have to make a salad.
| ¼ | cup olive oil |
| 3 | large cloves garlic, thinly sliced |
| 2 | tablespoons tomato paste |
| ¼ | teaspoon crushed red pepper |
| 2 | cans (about 15 ounces each) chickpeas (reserve liquid) |
| 3 | cups water |
| 1 | teaspoon salt, or more to taste |
| 1½ | cups ditalini or other small tubular pasta |
| 4 | cups coarsely chopped fresh spinash |
| 1 | cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or other firm cheese |
| 1 | tablespoon lemon juice |
| Black pepper, to taste | |
| Extra olive oil (for sprinkling) | |
| Extra freshly grated pecorino romano (for serving) |
1. In a medium Dutch oven or another heavy flameproof casserole, combine the oil and garlic. Place over medium-low heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it begins to sizzle and the garlic is translucent.
2. Add the tomato paste and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the tomato paste darkens and the mixture is fragrant and slightly caramelized.
3. Add the chickpeas and their liquid with the water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add the pasta to the pan and stir well. Simmer, stirring often, for 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender but still has some bite.
5. Add the spinach and cook 1 minute more. The spinach should be bright green and just wilted.
6. Turn off the heat and stir in the 1 cup Pecorino Romano and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if you like. Sprinkle with olive oil, more cheese, and black pepper.
