Recipe: Pasta e Ceci

Pasta with Chick Peas

This recipe was kindly provided by Giulia Biviano – Cucina di Casa Nostra

INGREDIENTS    Serves 8

• 300g dried chick peas, soaked overnight in plenty of cold water

• 1 small onion, chopped finely

• 1 kg dried pasta, (Ditalini is good)

• 2 fresh bay leaves

• 1 cup silvery beat, chopped

• 5 gloves garlic, peeled

• 1/2 cup wild fennel, chopped

• freshly ground black pepper

• extra virgin olive oil, for cooking

• 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)

METHOD

Drain and rinse the chick peas thoroughly. Place the drained chick peas in a saucepan, then add the onion, bay leaves, garlic, a few grind of pepper and enough water to cover the chick peas by about 5cm.

Add a 1/4 cup of olive oil, add the chopped silvery beat and the fennel, then cover with the lid and bring to the boil.

Cook over a low heat for one hour or until the chick peas are tender. Keep checking the water level and if it reduces below the chick peas, then top up to just cover them. Remove the bay leaves from the pan. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water until al dente. Drain and pour the cooked pasta into the warm chick peas and mix thoroughly. Leave to stand in the pan covered for about 10 minutes so that the flavours will infuse.

Serve in bowls drizzled with a little extra olive oil and chilli flakes if so desired.