Minestra De Ceci Italian Chickpea And Pasta Soup Food

MINESTRA DE CECI (ITALIAN CHICKPEA AND PASTA SOUP)

Steps:

• Puree half the chickpeas with 1 cup of the stock or water in a blender or food processor. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium flame. Add the garlic and rosemary and sauté until the garlic just begins to brown.
• Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
• Add the remaining stock, the chickpea puree and the remaining whole chickpeas.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 more minutes.
• Add the pasta and bring to a light boil until the pasta is cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
• Serve with crusty bread.
• *Variations.
• Use any small pasta for this soup: orzo, macaroni, shells. Or break spaghetti or capellini into small pieces.
• Stir in 2 cups chopped fresh spinach or chard in the last 5 minutes if you like.

MINESTRA DI CECI (UMBRIAN CHICKPEA SOUP)

Steps:

• Soak chickpeas in full pot of cold water along with rosemary, sage, and salt. Soak overnight, then drain the next morning. Remove herbs.
• Refill slow cooker with water to 1 inch above chickpeas. Cover and cook on low 5 hours.
• Combine 7 tablespoons of olive oil and rosemary in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring just to a simmer to infuse the olive oil. Remove from heat, discard the rosemary and set aside.
• Saute garlic, carrot, onion and celery in olive oil in skillet. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
• Puree half of the chickpeas, along with several cups of broth from the cooker, in blender. Return puree to slow cooker. Add sauteed vegetables to cooker.
• Cover. Cook on high 60 minutes.
• Serve the soup in warmed bowls with a drizzle of some of the remaining rosemary oil and sprinkle of parsley, black pepper and some grated pecorino if you wish.