Q: What does ‘pasta e ceci’ mean?

A: ‘Pasta e ceci’ translates from Italian as ‘pasta and chickpeas’. Chickpeas, known as ceci in Italian, are the star ingredient.

Q: Is pasta e ceci vegan?

A: Traditional versions can be vegan when made without cheese, anchovies, or meat. Some recipes finish with Parmesan or Pecorino, making them non-vegan.

Q: Which pasta is best for pasta e ceci?

A: Small pasta shapes such as ditalini, tubetti, ditaloni, or broken pasta are commonly used because they blend well with the chickpeas and broth.

Q: Where did pasta e ceci originate?

A: The dish is associated with central and southern Italy, particularly regions such as Lazio, Abruzzo, and Puglia.

Q: Why is pasta e ceci considered comfort food?

A: It combines simple pantry staples, a creamy texture, and hearty flavours, making it a nourishing and satisfying meal.

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pasta e ceci

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Written by

Neelanjana Mondal

Copy Writer

World Vegan Day: Try This Simple Protein-Rich
Pasta E Ceci
Recipe

Name: World Vegan Day: Try This Simple Protein-Rich ~Pasta E Ceci~ Recipe
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 cups Cooked chickpeas (For the chickpea base); 4 cups Chickpea cooking liquid or vegetable stock; 1 sprig Fresh rosemary; 4 Garlic cloves (lightly crushed); 2 tbsp Tomato paste; ½ cup Dry white wine; ¼ tsp Red pepper flakes; ¼ cup Extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ tsp Freshly ground black pepper; to taste Salt; 225 g Small tubular pasta (For the pasta); 55 g Pecorino Romano cheese (finely grated); for serving Extra Pecorino Romano; for drizzling Extra-virgin olive oil

35 mins

Cooking Time

Intermediate

Difficulty

Ingredients

Veg

Diet

Pasta recipes have much to offer this World Vegan Day! While the pasta e ceci is not vegan owing to the cheeses used in it, you can turn it into one of the many vegan recipes by replacing the cheese with something similar. Most pasta recipes use cheeses, which is also part of the finishing of this dish, but to make the dish completely vegan, try vegan cheeses made with nuts, soy or tapioca. This pasta recipe is perfect for World Vegan Day because it combines pasta and chickpeas, a plant-based high-protein food. In Italy, where pasta and chickpeas are both staples, this pasta e ceci can also be referred to as a soup or stew. Both ingredients are quite affordable and filling, and perfect to make during cooler months and seasonal shifts when the body craves some more warmth. Canned chickpeas are the Western norm, but given the legume’s abundance in India, a freshly boiled batch is perfect for this recipe. Make sure to reserve the chickpea liquid, and if it falls short, compensate with vegetable stock. If you want the creaminess, you can take some of the boiled chickpeas and puree them and use that as the thickener for the pasta. This dish needs no extra vegetables, as the chickpeas are more than enough to make it a wholesome dish.

Ingredients

UNITSIngredients

3 cupsCooked chickpeas (For the chickpea base)

4 cupsChickpea cooking liquid or vegetable stock

1 sprigFresh rosemary

4Garlic cloves (lightly crushed)

2 tbspTomato paste

½ cupDry white wine

¼ tspRed pepper flakes

¼ cupExtra-virgin olive oil

¼ tspFreshly ground black pepper

to tasteSalt

225 gSmall tubular pasta (For the pasta)

55 gPecorino Romano cheese (finely grated)

for servingExtra Pecorino Romano

for drizzlingExtra-virgin olive oil

pasta e ceci

World Vegan Day: Try This Simple Protein-Rich Pasta E Ceci Recipe

Ingredients

World Vegan Day: Try This Simple Protein-Rich
Pasta E Ceci
Recipe