Pasta e Ceci: An Ancient Roman Comfort Dish Made Simple

Pasta e ceci — pasta and chickpeas, pronounced roughly “pasta eh CHEH-chee” — is one of Italy’s oldest comfort foods. It is simple, filling, and made with ingredients many people already keep in the pantry.

The dish belongs to the Italian tradition known as cucina povera, or “poor kitchen,” a style of cooking that grew from making the most of inexpensive staples. Chickpeas, pasta, olive oil, and herbs can be combined into a hearty meal at little cost.

Pasta e ceci also has deep roots. The Roman poet Horace wrote about eating pasta with chickpeas more than 2,000 years ago in his Satires. Over time, the dish became especially common in central and southern Italy.

In Rome, it was traditionally served on Fridays as a meatless meal, according to the city’s tourism office. The earliest versions would not have included tomatoes, since tomatoes did not arrive in Europe from the Americas until many centuries later.

Modern recipes vary from region to region and even from family to family. Some versions are brothy like soup, while others are thick enough to eat with a fork. Roman versions may include anchovies for added depth, while Parmesan or Pecorino is often added at the table.

This version keeps the dish simple while still retaining its traditional character.

Pasta e Ceci

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 anchovy fillets, optional
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 sprig fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth, plus more if needed
1 piece Parmesan rind, optional
1 cup ditalini or other small pasta; broken spaghetti also works
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan or Pecorino, for serving
Extra olive oil, for serving

Directions

Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and anchovies, if using. Cook for about five minutes, until the onion softens and the anchovies melt into the oil.

Stir in the garlic and rosemary and cook for about one minute.

Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute or two, stirring often. This helps deepen the flavor.

Add the chickpeas, broth, and Parmesan rind, if using. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

For a creamier texture, remove a ladleful of chickpeas and broth, mash or blend until smooth, and stir it back into the pot.

Simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.

Stir in the pasta and cook until tender, usually about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time so the pasta does not stick to the bottom. Add a little more broth if the mixture becomes too thick.

The finished dish should be thick and spoonable, somewhere between a soup and a stew.

Remove the rosemary stem and Parmesan rind. Season with salt and black pepper.

Serve hot in bowls with grated Parmesan or Pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil on top.

Pasta e ceci is proof that some of the best comfort food does not need to be complicated. A few basic ingredients, cooked slowly and thoughtfully, can produce a meal that has lasted for centuries.