Old friends reunion weekend.
Delicious Dishes illustrator Hope James comes for a few days sketching for the new book.
Our friends Tari and Marc keep her company on the flight.
Visionary gardeners both–they help cheer up a wet and cold February (the weather is atrocious and the fields are under water), with new configurations and plantings in the garden and courtyard.
Boggle (word game) is played and Fan Tan and I Doubt It! (card games).
Last night after dinner Meredith opened a door at the back of the house to close the shutters and shouted to everyone to take a look.
We did and what we saw was remarkable and unexpected.
A sudden snowstorm had magically transformed the landscape into a white wilderness–in the space of a couple of hours.
(No photo sadly–it was 11pm!)
This morning after a warmer night it had shrunk back to a disappointing near normal.
This evening this thick comforting soup serves as some compensation.
It has been eaten in Italy since Roman times.
The poet Horace wrote about heading for home and a bowl of leeks, pasta and chickpeas.
There are many variations on the theme of chickpeas and pasta. A constant flavour is rosemary.
450g cooked chickpeas–tinned or bottled
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 carrot–chopped fine
1 stick of celery–chopped fine
1 small onion— chopped fine
4 garlic cloves–pulped with a teaspoon of salt
1 tbsp tomato concentrate
pinch of cayenne pepper--(optional)
a sprig of rosemary and a sprig of sage
750ml vegetable stock–I use organic vegetable stock cubes
Parmesan rind–(optional)
salt and black pepper
180gms small (tubular) pasta
olive oil to swirl in each bowl
- Purée two thirds of the cooked chickpeas in a food mixer.
- In a large pan gently sauté the carrot, celery and onion until they soften–about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, the cayenne if using and the herbs, mixing them in for a couple of minutes.
- Stir in the tomato concentrate and cook a further couple of minutes.
- Stir in the chickpeas and the purée.
- Add the stock and the parmesan rind if using and bring the soup gently up to the boil.
- Add the pasta and stir well making sure the purée doesn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Season and simmer until the pasta is done–adding more water if it gets too thick.
- Serve hot.
Robin Ellis 
This sounds absolutely delicious! I will try it soon. I am always glad to get vegetarian recipes for my granddaughter Andrea. She is a Naturalist at Tupper Lake, N.Y. This is a good one I can cook for her when she comes home in June.
OK….this looks like a keeper!
Looks yummy! Just the thing during a cold Shetland winter 🙂
Delicious Robin! I cooked it in the same way. The pasta is named “tubetti” in Naples and “ditali” in Italy. I love soups like this in the winter period, but many people cooked “pasta e ceci” in Summer too, served at temperature…(not fresh, but natural). I love “pasta e fagioli” too…cooked in the same way. Thanks for great pics! Bea
Tubetti–little tubes–describes it perfectly.
“Ditali regati”–on my packet, bought in Montivarchi, Beatrice, in November.
It is good/reassuring to hear that you cook it in the same way!
Pasta e fagioli–pasta and beans–is also one of my favorites.
This looks quite good, but would it be ok to substitute chicken stock?
Yes of course–it is a matter of taste.
That looks good.
Love the vegetarian ideas. Please keep them coming.
I hope you can coax your illustrator to add a cameo or two of your kittens and chicks in your new book Robin! Fans of your blog and cookbook would certainly appreciate it!
We’re trying!She’s not keen on pets….
I think the picture of you and the lovely chickpea should be on the cover!
Hello Robin. I cooked this soup/pasta dish tonight on a reasonably mild (for us aussies) summer February evening in Sydney, 22.5C, and not too humid. It went down a treat with both of us, with the addition of some grated sheep’s milk pecorino! I used some chicken stock I had in the freezer and I think the cayenne pepper is a nice addition, just gives it that hint of warmth.
I used the 6 tbspns of olive oil to saute the mirepoix, is that correct? And I drained the tin of chickpeas and rinsed them, is that what you would do?
“I used the 6 tbspns of olive oil to saute the mirepoix, is that correct? And I drained the tin of chickpeas and rinsed them, is that what you would do?”
Yes–that’s what I did, although I sometimes use some of the chickpea liquid. The pecorino is a good idea–just have to watch its saltiness.
I like chickpeas. In Spain, our landlady used to make some good soups with them. But I haven’t seen anybody use them in England.
Yes..Robin! We will all be dissapointed without the animals and funny anecdotes of your day to day living! THAT alone will make your next book a best seller.
And, I agree. This recipe reminded me of Pasta Fazoool (as we call it in America) I have a great recipe for this and it is such a comfort on a cold winters day! I also use romano or parmesan cheese in abundance and if I make this dish will also add it. This looks very toothsome!
To Pamela Williams: 😉 this soup (or minestra- in Italian) is pefect in Summer too…. as I describes here. Buon Appetito!
To Robin: yes, you are right! “Ditali rigati” are the best, not smooth -as I used for mistake once upon- 😉
Pasta e fagioli is the Friday’s soup in Florence ever (in winter)!
We had this recipe for dinner tonight, it was soooo good. I have not cooked this in years, it is a simple and filling meal, and a good way to use chi chi beans beside just in salad.
This is the 2nd time I’ve made this. It’s wonderful and both of my children liked it. I love how simple your dishes are. I had no idea what to make for dinner, went to the cupboard, then to your blog and was reminded of this dish. Lovely!