Chickpeas with Noodles (Strisci e Ceci)

 Chickpeas with Noodles (Strisci e Ceci)

“ Chickpeas are a favorite in both the north and southern Italy, used in soups and paired with pasta. Mostly ribbon noodles. 

Canned chickpeas are readily available but I prefer using dried because although they must be soaked overnight, the final texture is better when cooked to your desired softness. Just remember to refrain from adding salt when boiling them so they do not get ‘tough’. Season them when you add them to the sautéed veggies. 

You can use any good quality packaged egg noodles or, it is relatively simple to make your own. That way you can make the pasta noodles without eggs, if you are vegan. Ribbon noodles are easy to cut from a dough that can be rolled out with a rolling pin if you don’t have a pasta machine, by making cuts with a knife, pizza wheel cutter or a pastry roller to give fancy scalloped edges, and you can make them as wide or thin as you like.

When you are preparing this dish pay attention to the amount of liquid that you boil the dried and soaked chickpeas in.  There should be enough to cover by at least ½ inch, so starting with that you may have to replace some of the liquid that boils off during the hour plus of cooking time.  In the end you are trying to create a sauce for the pasta with the correct consistency.”

With this dish I like to serve one of the complex and beautiful white wines from central Italy, such as Orvieto, Vernaccia, Vermentino, or a southern white from Ciro or Greco Bianco. 

Serves 4-6, can be doubled

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas, aka., garbanzo beans, ceci (also sometimes spelled cici beans)

• 1 bay leaf 

• 1 stalk of celery, with leaves, diced

• 1 onion, diced

• 2-3 cloves of garlic

• Several sprigs of fresh herbs, such as rosemary, parsley or thyme

• 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil

• 1-2 teaspoons of tomato paste

• ½ pound of ribbon noodles.  Homemade or store bought

Procedure:

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain and rinse them and bring them to a simmer enough water to cover by about an inch, in a pot with the bay leaf. (Do not add salt at this point.) Cook them until they are very tender to the bite. Then remove about half on the chickpeas, crush or purée them and return them to the pot with the rest of the chickpeas.

2. Heat the oil in a sauté pan and add the onions, celery and garlic. Cook over medium heat until a little past softened .

3. Add the tomato paste and the herbs and allow the tomato paste to cook for a bit before adding some of the liquid from the pot of chickpeas to dissolve it. When it is emulsified, add the chickpeas with the cooking liquid.

4. Simmer for 20-30 minutes to marry the flavors and reduce the sauce slightly.

5. Add the cooked pasta with some pasta cooking water to adjust the consistency of the sauce if necessary.

6. Serve immediately topped with some grated pecorino Romano cheese.

   
   

   Buon Appetito!