Pasta and chickpea soup

Screen Shot 2015-03-23 at 18.09.24Minestra di pasta e ceci

If you like a meaty taste to your Pasta and chickpea soup, replace the anchovy fillets with a couple of tablespoons of cubed pancetta.

➤ Serves 2 ➤ Preparation 10 minutes  ➤ Cooking 30 minutes

200g canned chickpeas

1 small sprig fresh rosemary

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, peeled, chopped

¼ dried red chilli pepper, chopped

2 canned anchovy fillets,
drained, rinsed and chopped

½ tbsp tomato purée

700ml chicken or vegetable stock

150ml cold water

100g small, short pasta

Rinse the canned chickpeas, then place in a large saucepan. Cover generously with the stock, add the rosemary and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, fry together the oil, garlic, chilli and chopped anchovies in another saucepan. Stir in the tomato purée and then add the water. Stir and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the chickpeas with all their cooking liquid. As soon as the soup comes back to the boil, stir in the pasta and cook for about 10 minutes, or until soft. Check for salt, and add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Serve at once.

*MinM05856