Pasta e Garbanzos: Italian Chickpea Pasta
Rustic one-pot chickpea and pasta dish featuring soaked or canned chickpeas simmered with tomato, aromatics, and short pasta in a broth-based sauce. Rosemary infuses the cooking liquid while pasta cooks directly in the pot, releasing starch to create a creamy consistency. Finished with extra virgin olive oil and black pepper.
Ingredients
- 9 oz chickpeas, soaked overnight or canned
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 whole carrot
- ½ whole onion
- 2 leaves bay leaf
- 1 clove garlic
- 7 oz short pastalong pasta1:1cooking
adjust cooking technique
- 1 whole tomato, diced
- 1 whole shallot, minced
- ½ whole chile, minced
- 1 sprig rosemary
- salt, to taste(optional)
- black pepper, to taste(optional)
- extra virgin olive oil, to taste(optional)
- water, as needed
Instructions
- 1
If using dried chickpeas, soak overnight in water. Drain, rinse thoroughly under running water, and drain again. If using canned chickpeas, rinse well under running water and drain.
- 2
Place chickpeas in a pot, preferably earthenware, cover with cold water, and season with bay leaves, garlic clove, and chopped vegetables (carrot, celery, onion).
- 3
Simmer over medium-low heat for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Add salt and boil for another 15 minutes until chickpeas are tender.
- 4
Dice the shallot and place in a separate pot with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil over heat, cooking gently until softened.
- 5
Cut tomato into small cubes and mince the chile. Add both to the shallot once softened.
- 6
Mix and allow the tomato's vegetable water to evaporate.
- 7
In another pot, bring water to a boil for cooking the pasta. Add the rosemary sprig to the tomato mixture and let infuse for a few seconds.
- 8
Add the cooked chickpeas to the tomato mixture along with their cooking liquid and two or three cups of hot water. The chickpeas should be well covered with liquid.
- 9
Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes, then adjust seasoning and add the pasta.
- 10
Mix and cook the pasta for half the time indicated on the package (for example, if pasta requires 8 minutes, cook for 4 minutes). Stir occasionally so the pasta starch mixes with other ingredients to form a creamy sauce.
- 11
Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes to finish cooking. Remove the rosemary sprig.
- 12
Serve with black pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Tips
Add salt only at the end of chickpea cooking to prevent hardening.
Use dried rosemary rather than fresh to avoid excess vegetable water and bitter notes.
Stir pasta occasionally during cooking so starch releases and creates a creamy consistency.
Pasta should cook for half the package-indicated time since it finishes cooking during resting period.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently with additional water or broth if needed.
Prepare through step 6 (tomato mixture) up to 1 day in advance. Cook chickpeas up to 2 days ahead.
Serve hot with additional extra virgin olive oil drizzle and freshly ground black pepper. Pairs with crusty bread.
Common Mistakes
Add salt early to avoid hardened chickpeas.
Cook fresh rosemary too long to prevent bitter, watery results.
Use full pasta cooking time instead of half to avoid mushy pasta.
Substitutions
adjust cooking technique