Recipe courtesy of
Amy Stevenson
for
Food Network Kitchen
Recipe courtesy of
Amy Stevenson
for
Food Network Kitchen
Watch how to make this recipe.
Pasta e Ceci
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- Level: Easy
- Total: 50 min
- Active: 50 min
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Calories
- 689
- Total Fat
- 18 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 2 grams
- Cholesterol
- 0 milligrams
- Sodium
- 372 milligrams
- Carbohydrates
- 112 grams
- Dietary Fiber
- 20 grams
- Sugar
- 14 grams
- Protein
- 26 grams
This simple, hearty dish is pure Italian comfort food. Made with double carbs (chickpeas -- the “ceci” -- and ditalini!), it’s somewhere between a soup and a pasta, bringing the best qualities of both to one bowl. While it’s optional, the Parmesan rind adds a depth of flavor here as well as to other soups and stews, especially vegetarian ones. Whenever you finish a wedge of Parmesan, just wrap the leftover rind well in plastic and keep it in the fridge. The lemon zest and juice add a bright note to the broth that’s thickened by mashing some of the chickpeas. If you don’t have a potato masher, you can mash the chickpeas against the sides of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Level: Easy
- Total: 50 min
- Active: 50 min
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Calories
- 689
- Total Fat
- 18 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 2 grams
- Cholesterol
- 0 milligrams
- Sodium
- 372 milligrams
- Carbohydrates
- 112 grams
- Dietary Fiber
- 20 grams
- Sugar
- 14 grams
- Protein
- 26 grams
Ingredients
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the carrots, celery and leeks; cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are wilted, about 5 minutes. Clear a space in the center of the pot and add the tomato paste, rosemary, garlic and red pepper flakes. Let toast for a minute, then stir into the vegetables. Add the chickpeas, lemon zest, bay leaves, Parmesan rind, if using, 6 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Use a potato masher to mash some of the chickpeas until the broth appears creamy and slightly thick, leaving plenty of chickpeas whole, 6 or 7 mashes around the pot should do the trick. Add the ditalini and 1 cup water. Return to a simmer and cook until the ditalini is very al dente, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and let sit until the broth is thickened and the pasta finishes cooking, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves, cheese rind and lemon zest before serving. Season the pasta e ceci with salt, if needed. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan.
