As I type this it is -13°C and the snow has drifted into mountains which I don't feel like shoveling today.
In other words, it is soup weather and I can't think of one much heartier (and heathier) than this gem that I learned to make from a dear friend from Sicily.
The surprize flavor in this soup is rosemary. I'm lucky enough to have a plant that has survived inside. But dried will certainly work too.
My pasta of choice would generally be ditalini, but has you can see I had to settle for something much smaller. But use whatever soup pasta you like as well as the chili flakes, which I omitted this time.
Chickpea and Pasta Soup
1/2 pound dried chickpeas
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 sprig of rosemary, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
3 medium roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili flakes (optional)
150 grams soup pasta of your choice
Parmesan cheese, grated
Soak chickpeas in water in the refrigerator overnight. Next day, drain, rinse and put in a pot covering with several inches of water. Simmer until just done, add salt to taste and simmer until finished.
Drain and reserve the water in which they were cooked.
In a pot large enough to contain all the ingredients, heat olive oil and gently saute rosemary just until fragrant.
Add onions and garlic and saute until golden.
Add chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes turning all the ingredients over from time to time until everything is mixed well.
Add cooked chickpeas, four cups of the water in which they were cooked and the seasonings.
Simmer for about 20 minutes and then remove half the soup and put through a food mill or puree in a food processor.
Return to pot along with the pasta and simmer, stirring to avoid sticking, until pasta is done adding more liquid if needed.
Correct for seasoning and let rest a few minutes.
Serve in individual bowls and top with raw olive oil and the grated parmesan cheese.
