Pasta e Ceci

Ingredients

• 400 gchickpeas$1.92
• 200 gditalini pasta$1.37
• 3 eachgarlic cloves$0.16
• 1 eachrosemary sprig$0.08
• 2 tbsptomato paste$0.33
• 1 lvegetable stock$2.77
• 4 tbspextra-virgin olive oil$1.07
• 1 tspsalt$0.01
• 0.5 tspblack pepper$0.08
• Total for 4 servings$7.79

Most of the cost is vegetable stock ($2.77) and chickpeas ($1.92). With oil, spices and staples already at home, the shop drops to about $2.24. Prices are estimated for the amount used, at average US grocery prices (November 2026).

Steps

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, thinly slice the garlic, and strip and finely chop the rosemary leaves.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and lightly sizzling, making sure the garlic does not burn.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until it darkens to a deep rust-red colour and coats the bottom of the pot.
4. Pour in the vegetable stock, scraping up any browned paste from the bottom of the pan. Add the chickpeas, salt, and black pepper, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to crush roughly one-third to half of the chickpeas against the side of the pot to thicken the broth.
6. Stir in the ditalini pasta and simmer uncovered over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the pasta is al dente and the soup has turned rich and velvety.
7. Remove the pot from the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with an extra pinch of salt and black pepper if needed, then let the soup rest off the heat for 5 minutes to settle.
8. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and drizzle each portion generously with the remaining 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil.