VegBatch
← All recipes

Pasta e Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas)

A one-pot Italian dish of small pasta and chickpeas simmered in a herb-scented tomato broth, finished with kale and grated cheese. It eats like a thick, brothy stew and comes together in about half an hour.

6 servings · 30 min · main · Italian · vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 piece yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 clove garlic clove, sliced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 sprig thyme sprig, 3-inch
  • 1 sprig rosemary sprig, 3-inch
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more for garnish
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more for garnish
  • 1½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 can chickpeas, 15-ounce, drained and rinsed
  • 6½ cup vegetable broth
  • 12 ounce ditalini pasta, about 3 cups
  • 5 cup lacinato kale, stemmed and chopped, from 1 (5-ounce) bunch
  • 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup), plus more for garnish

Method

  1. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. A[dd garlic, black] pepper, red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is softened and fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Add tomato paste to pot; cook, stirring constantly, until paste is slightly darkened and completely coats onion and garlic, about 1 min[ute. Add wine; cook, stirring constantly and scraping] any browned bits from bottom of pot, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
  3. Add chickpeas to pot, and mash about one-third of chickpeas using back of a spoon or spatula. Add vegetable broth; sprinkle with [remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a] boil over high.
  4. Stir ditalini into mixture in pot, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 10 minu[tes].
  5. Remove and discard thyme and rosemary sprigs from pot. Stir in kale and Parmigiano-Reggiano until kale is wilted and broth is sl[ightly thickened. Remove] from heat. Divide evenly among 6 bowls; garnish with additional black pepper, red pepper, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.