Ditalini Rigati Pasta with Chickpeas
A hearty Italian pasta dish with creamy chickpeas, aromatic soffritto, and fresh herbs
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 12 oz Ditalini Rigati pasta
- 2 cans chickpeas 15 oz each, drained and rinsed
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 1/4 onion finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes 14.5 oz
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more as needed
- Pecorino cheese to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 1/2 cups water
Instructions
- Add a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil to one of the bowls of chickpeas (at least 2-3 tablespoons) and start blending with your immersion blender until you get a creamy consistency. Add a few splashes of water if the sauce is too thick to blend well.
- Chop your carrot and onion for the soffritto and set aside. Be sure to chop it finely, making it smaller than the pasta.
- Crush your garlic and set aside, or wait to crush the garlic directly into the soffritto when you reach this step.
- Add a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil to one of the bowls of chickpeas (at least 2-3 tablespoons) and start blending with your immersion blender until you get a creamy consistency. Add a few splashes of water if you're unhappy with the consistency.
- Next, give the immersion blender a rinse before using it again to gently crush your tomatoes.
- Heat your large pot on low heat and add about 4-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Once the oil is sufficiently heated, add the soffritto (chopped carrot and onion).
- Stir and allow to simmer then add in your bay leaves and fresh rosemary. Continue stirring to coat it all in the oil and cover the pot so the flavors infuse.
- After approximately 5 minutes, remove the lid and add crushed garlic. Stir the ingredients again and add about 2 tablespoons of water to prevent the garlic from burning. Cover for another 5 minutes so the flavors further combine.
- Next, remove the lid and some of the rosemary leaves from the stem. Then, remove the stem from the pot.
- Add the crushed tomato sauce to the pot and quickly stir then add the second can of chickpeas plus salt and pepper to taste. (Don't overdo it with the salt!)
- Stir again then remove the bay leaves and add your pasta. Once your pasta is added, stir vigorously to combine with the sauce and soak in the flavor.
- Once everything is well mixed, add 1 cup of water and stir continuously as the pasta cooks.