pasta e ceci {summer version}

Pasta e ceci (pasta with chickpeas) is usually a winter dish. A bowl full of thick, stick-to-your-ribs starch, barely held together by a tomatoey ‘soup’ that is more like a loose sauce. You can even make it ahead of time, letting almost all of the liquid get absorbed by the pasta and chickpeas, so that it becomes more of a stew than any sort of soup. Definitely for cold weather.

But during a recent trip to Abruzzo I had a version of this dish that blew all my previous conceptions of pasta e ceci out the window. In fact, while I was eating the very liquidy, light-as-a-feather, room temperature, soup it took me a good five minutes to realize what I was eating: a summer version of pasta e ceci. The pasta was al dente (something that usually never happens in true pasta e ceci) and the chickpeas were black, firm and did not let loose of any kind of starchiness to cloud the crystal clear broth. And that broth? So light, and tasting of summer.
Back in Todi a few weeks later, Rolando (Yes. Rolando. Again. I’ll just call this the summer of Rolando)  decided to try to recreate it. “I”ll just make my brodetto, then the rest will be easy.” he explained. Brodo I know very well, and translates into broth. Brodetto, ‘little broth’, turns out to be a barely cooked infusion of herbs. Which is evidently one of Rolando’s specialties.

The secret ingredient though, turned out to be not quite an herb, but gave the brodetto a special tangyness and freshness: one small branch of tomato leaves. If you’ve ever smelled tomatoes leaves – that special tart, green, incredibly summery smell – then you can understand the unique flavor it added.

To add a bit of fun to the soup we opened up a pack of Rustichella “Le Virtu” pasta. Made up of about 5 different shapes, it’s kind of like a ‘clean out the cupboard’ pack of pasta. What’s great is that the shapes cook at slightly different times, so that you get not only a variety of looks, but a variety of textures, which is always good.

And in fact, Rolando told me that he often makes up a brodetto as a way of turning a bit of this, and a bit of that (leftovers) into an elegant soup. Works for me.

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pasta e ceci {summer version}

Cook 20 mins

Total 20 mins

Author Elizabeth

Yield 8

I used a package of Rustichella "Le Virtu" , which is made up of all different shapes. But you can use whatever you have. It's a great way to use up leftover pasta, and looks pretty too. Also, I used dried black chickpeas, but if you are in a rush, you can used canned regular.

Ingredients

• 1 cup black chickpeas
• 250 grams/ 1/2 pound mixed pasta
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 8 leaves basil for garnish
• For the brodetto
• 1.5 litres of water
• 1 large bunch parsley
• 1 large bunch basil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 large tomato
• 1 small branch tomato leaves

Instructions

1. Soak the chickpeas for at least 6 hours, then boil until tender, in salted water. Drain and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, then cook the pasta until al dente. When done, drain, and toss with olive oil, so that it doesn't stick.
3. Place water in pot just big enough to hold it. Add all the herbs, whole, garlic, tomato branch. Cut the tomato in half and squeeze in the juices. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes with lid tightly on. Remove the herbs and garlic, using a slotted spoon. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes, with lid on.
4. To serve: place a half cup of pasta in each dish, add about 3 tablespoon of chickpeas, then ladle broth, with tomatoes, over the top. Garnish with torn basil and serve.

I had the original version of this soup at :
La Bilancia
Contrada Palazzo 11
Loreto Aprutino (PE) 65014
Tel: +39.085.828.9321

I was invited to Abruzzo by Manicaretti Importers and was a guest of Rustichella d’Abruzzo.

Le Virtu pasta by Rustichella is available here.