Puglian chickpea casserole
Ceci di Cosima
Savoury and thrifty chickpea casserole. A nice vegan recipe often served in Puglia and other parts of south Italy.
My neighbour often drops by with tastings of her family’s dinner. That’s how I was introduced to this peasant dish, which is surprisingly delicate and tasty. Especially in consideration of the few, no-cost ingredients used.
The chickpeas can be served both as a salad, soup and as a pasta course, if you add a few cavatelli, capunti or other small pasta types.
Ingredients
200 g chickpeas
1 onion
1 stalk of celery
4 plum tomatoes
Salt, pepper and olive oil
Preparation
Soak the chickpeas in salted water for 12 hours
Clean the chickpeas, change the water.
Clean and chop the vegetables coarsely. Add them to the chickpeas.
Grind coarse salt over the dish and boil for 1 hour until the chickpeas melt in the mouth. Add more water if necessary.
Stir quite a lot of olive oil (50-100 ml) into the dish using a wooden spoon 5 minutes before serving. Let it boil vigorously.
Add pasta – unless you want a soup – and and cook until the pasta is tender.
Serve the chickpea casserole hot with bread.
Other recipes with beans and chickpeas
You haven’t actually mentioned the quantity of water needed. I’d suggest7 750ml here would be plenty – and immeasurably nicer of you use either fresh chicken or vegetable stock.
Personally wouldn’t cook any added pasta in this same water in which you’re cooking the ceci as it’ll make it go very starchy. Better to cook pasta separately, then add. A little chopped parlsey, garlic and chilli goes well too.
You are absolutely right about the quality and quantity of the water. If the chickpeas are properly soaked, I only use enough water to keep them covered.
I think starch from the pasta is only a problem, if the pasta gets overdone. Still, your way is safer, and the addition of parsley, garlic and chilli is a must try. In fact, I’ll add it, when we are having Ceci di Cosima’s for dinner today:D