*Poking my head in here* Pasta e ceci?

[yewberry]

Well, I haven't posted here in years, probably since DU2. But I saw someone say below that budget recipes are welcome, and here's a dish that I nearly always have all of the ingredients for. (This is a really flexible recipe-- some people use canned tomatoes, some use celery-- I like fennel, so that's what I use.)

Pasta e ceci-- pasta with chick peas. Peasant food, sure, and it doesn't sound like much, but it's truly worth trying. Here's my version:

Dry beans. Yes, dry beans. I think it's important for the texture. Soak about 1/2 C of chick peas overnight with salt and enough water to cover plus an inch or so. Reserve the water.

1/2 onion, 1/2 large carrot: chop in 1/2" pieces
1/2 C or so sliced fennel (bulb or stalks, what have you)
2-3 cloves garlic chopped
2 sprigs rosemary, 1 sprig sage (reserve about 1 T of herbs, chop finely)
Bay, if you have it
heavy pinch red pepper flake
Ditalini (or any soup pasta), about 1/2 C
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese, grated finely (I use a zester) or nutritional yeast, if you want it vegan

In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat 1 T of olive oil to med. Add onion, carrot, fennel, & a little salt, saute until onions are translucent or just beginning to brown. Reduce heat to med-low, add garlic, herbs, and pepper flake. Saute another 3 min or so, and check to make sure there is enough olive oil left to mostly coat all the chick peas you're about to dump in.

Dump in your soaked beans, stir it all around for a minute or two. Add 1 C fresh water and 1 C soaking liquid. (Feel free to sub broth or what have you-- if you use only soaking liquid, you may have to skim foam off the top later, and I'm lazy.) Bring up to a low boil. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove herb sprigs and bay. Transfer 1/2 to 2/3 of solids to blender with enough liquid to thoroughly puree. And puree! Add back to pot and bing to simmer, taste for seasoning. Add ditalini and cook for 10-12 min to al dente, stirring regularly.

Serve hot, topped with parmesan or nooch and a drizzle of good olive oil (along with any little fennel fronds left on the bulb, for garnish), cracked black pepper if you like.

Super duper winter dish, adjust the liquid level if you like it soupier. I like it stewier.

Hope you like it!

[Pobeka]

1. That's a new one I'll have to try. Kinda humus-y.

In fact, the fennel + rosemary might be an interesting way to flavor traditional humus.

Thanks!