Name: Pasta and Chickpea Soup (Minestra di Pasta e Ceci)
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Italy
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) dried pasta (fettuccine or linguine); salt; 1 tablespoon tomato purée, diluted with ½ wine glass hot water; 1 large sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped; 8 oz (225 g) dried chickpeas or 14 oz (400 g) canned chickpeas; 3½ fl oz (100 ml) olive oil; 1 very large clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Italian Regional Cookery

By Valentina Harris

Published 1990

About

This is a typical ‘lean day’ dish from the Lazio, served traditionally on Christmas Eve, saint’s day eves, Fridays, Lent and similar occasions when the eating of meat was forbidden for religious reasons. Despite the recent more relaxed attitude towards eating habits and religion, the soup remains extremely popular.

Ingredients

8 oz (225 g) dried chickpeas or 14 oz (400

Method

If you are using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight in cold water. Drain and wash them, then place them in a heavy-bottomed pan with approximately 2½ pints (1.5 litres) cold water. Cover, bring to the bo