Pasta e Ceci Soup

Pasta e Ceci Soup is a fancy way to say pasta and chickpea soup. As simple as that may sound, when you give this soup some patience and time, the simplest of ingredients turn into one of the most  delicious soups. This soup does not require chopping or much labor. This soup does require some patience and time to let the chickpeas show off what they can offer. As you slowly cook this soup, the flavors of the rosemary and garlic infuse throughout the entire soup!

I must emphasize that canned chickpeas will not do service to this soup. This soup should only be used with dry chickpeas soaked and slowly cooked until they melt in your mouth. I use canned chickpeas plenty, but please, please do not use the canned chickpeas in this recipe. Trust me, once you take your first bite of the chickpeas in this soup, you will appreciate that you took the extra time to use dry chickpeas!

It never ceases to amaze me that simple and humble ingredients can make for the most memorable dishes. This Pasta e Ceci is an example of just that. Simple and humble ingredients that are given patience and time to develop into a wonderful and delicious meal for you and your family!

This soup is not a labor intensive soup. You do not have to stand over the soup and tend to it. The ingredients will do their magic for you. However, the steps such as the soaking process and the slow and low cooking are important. So, when you have some extra time to prepare this soup, it will be well worth the wait!

Print Recipe

Pasta e Ceci Soup

Pasta and chickpea soup filled with the flavors of garlic and rosemary.

Prep Time8 hours hrs

Cook Time2 hours hrs

Total Time10 hours hrs

Course: Soup

Servings: 4 -6

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry chickpeas sorted and rinsed
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 T all-purpose flour
• 1 T salt
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 4 large cloves garlic peeled and flatten with a knife
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 14- oz can whole peeled tomatoes with their juice
• 1/4 cup dry ditalini pasta
• salt and pepper to taste
• Toppings: fresh parley parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover generously with water.
• In a small bowl, combine the baking soda, flour and salt. Add a small amount of water and stir to make a paste. Pour into the bowl of chickpeas and water. Stir. Cover and allow to soak at room temperature over night up to 24 hours.
• When you are ready to make the soup, drain and thoroughly rinse the chickpeas.
• Pour the chickpeas into a large pot. Add the vegetable stock, garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Wrap the rosemary springs in cheesecloth and tie shut. Place in the pot.This way you will get the rosemary flavor without the rosemary pieces floating around in the soup.
• Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once the soup reaches a boil, lower the heat to low. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The soup is ready when the chickpeas melt in your mouth.
• Remove the garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs.
• Before adding the tomatoes, puree until smooth in a blender. Pour the pureed tomatoes into the pot. Add salt and pepper. Add the remain 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
• If you are going to eat all of the soup, add the pasta to the pot of soup. Bring to a boil and cook until the pasta is al dente. Do not overcook the pasta.
• If you are going to plan for leftovers, cook the pasta in a separate pot until just al dente, do not overcook. Add the pasta to the individual bowls of soup.
• Serve and enjoy with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.

Notes

Recipe Source: Eat Live Run