Pasta e Ceci (Italian Chickpea & Pasta Soup)

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🍝 200g spaghetti (dry)
• 🫘 480g chickpeas, canned
• 🏺 40ml olive oil
• 🧅 100g onions
• 🥕 80g carrots
• 🪴 60g celery
• 🫑 80g green bell pepper
• 🧄 12g garlic
• 🥫 400g canned tomatoes
• 🌿 3g fresh rosemary
• 🥕 1,000ml vegetable broth (rehydrated stock cube)
• 🌿 1g chilli flakes
• 🌿 10g parsley
• 🧂 3g salt
• 🌿 1g black pepper

Method

1. Finely chop the onion, carrot, celery and green pepper. Slice the garlic and finely chop the rosemary.
2. Warm most of the olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables with a pinch of salt and cook for 8 minutes until soft.
3. Add the garlic, rosemary and chilli flakes and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the tomatoes and the drained chickpeas, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Scoop out a ladleful of chickpeas, mash them roughly and stir them back in to thicken the soup.
6. Break the spaghetti into short pieces, add to the pot and simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is tender. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
7. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the parsley, and serve with the rest of the olive oil drizzled over.