Pasta e Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas)

Pasta e Ceci
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Ingredients

1medium onion, quartered
1medium carrot, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, cut into 1-inch pieces
6cloves garlic, 4 whole, 2 chopped
1/3cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
2tablespoons tomato paste or sauce
2 15 oz. cans chick peas, rinsed
1pound small pasta of your choice
3-5sprigs rosemary
Squeeze of lemon
Shaved Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano
Water as needed (or stock, if you prefer)

Instructions

  1. Pulse onion, carrot celery and whole garlic cloves in a food processor. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Wipe out the food processor and set aside.
  2. Heat 1/8 cup oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add vegetable mixture and season with salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, scraping the pan often. Stir in tomato paste and a 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and summer until the liquid has almost evaporated.
  3. Add chickpeas and additional 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, depending on how dry the mixture looks. Simmer for a few minutes.
  4. Transfer 1 cup chickpea mixture to the food processor, puree until smooth and stir back into the sauce.
  5. Prepare pasta according to directions on package, reserving some of the liquid.
  6. Stir in the pasta and 1/2 cup pasta liquid into the sauce, adding more liquid as necessary. The sauce should coat the pasta well.
  7. Heat remaining oil in a small skillet. Add chopped garlic and rosemary to the oil. Cook until the rosemary crisps up and becomes fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Drizzle over the top of the pasta along with a squeeze of lemon.
  8. Top with cheese.

Anne started TeachEatLove as a way to encourage other parents in their efforts to raise healthy eaters by providing delicious, seasonally inspired recipes. Her toddler, who was once a very picky eater, is now happy to eat just about anything on her plate.