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Harissa Pasta e Ceci (Pasta and Chickpeas)

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Saucier than your average pasta-with-sauce but not quite broth-y enough to be a soup, pasta e ceci is a delicious one-pot dish made with pasta and chickpeas, cooked in a light but flavourful tomato-y sauce. This one’s been spiked with harissa, which gives it a delightful spicy, smoky kick. Finished with crispy chickpeas, parsley oil and burrata, it’s a zhuzhed up version of an Italian classic. 

  • Author: zenak
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the crispy chickpeas

  • 2 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp crushed red chilli flakes 
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika 
  • ½ tsp garlic granules 

For the harissa pasta e ceci:

  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped 
  • 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1-2 tbsp good-quality harissa paste 
  • 1 x 400g tin of good-quality crushed tomatoes
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • 200g dried short pasta
  • 25g parmigiano reggiano, grated (sub for nutritional yeast, if vegan) 
  • 150g burrata (sub for vegan burrata, if vegan)

For the parsley oil:

  • 10g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon, zest only 

Instructions

  1. Heat your oven to 200℃/ 180℃ fan. Place half of the chickpeas on a greaseproof paper-lined baking tray. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, then add the crushed red chilli flakes, smoked paprika and garlic granules. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until browned and crispy, then set aside for later. 
  2. Meanwhile, heat a splash of extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the onion, season with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. 
  3. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute, then add the harissa paste and cook for a further minute. 
  4. Add the other half of the chickpeas and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 mins, then crush about half of the chickpeas with the back of your spoon.  
  5. Add the tinned tomatoes, season with salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. 
  6. Add the vegetable stock and pasta, turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked, 10 to 15 minutes depending on the type of pasta you use. 
  7. Meanwhile, place the parsley, extra-virgin olive oil and lemon zest in a mortar and pound with a pestle until you have a chunky green sauce. Alternatively, you can do this in a food processor or just finely chop it all by hand. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  8. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the parmigiano reggiano (or nutritional yeast). 
  9. To serve, divide the pasta between bowls and top with some crispy chickpeas, parsley oil, dollops of burrata and extra parmesan – enjoy!

Find it online: https://zenaskitchen.com/harissa-pasta-with-chickpeas/

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