Pasta e Ceci - "Pasta With Chickpeas"

Description §

Pasta with brothy chickpeas is Italian comfort food at its best.

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Ingredients §

• 1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 25g garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 35g tomato paste
• 1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine
• 3 cups (1 pound 2 ounces; 510g) cooked dry chickpeas or two (15-ounce; 425g) cans low-sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed, divided (see note)
• 4 cups (950ml) chickpea cooking liquid, homemade chicken or vegetable stock, or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock, divided (see note)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces (225g) small tubular pasta, such as ditalini
• 2 ounces (55g) finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for serving

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Method §

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add garlic and rosemary, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic softens and turns golden, about 5 minutes.
2. Add pepper flakes and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add tomato paste and cook until tomato paste is fragrant and turns dark brick red, about 1 minute.
   1. You can pull garlic out if they are getting too dark, but don’t forget to add them back
4. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer, and cook until wine has emulsified with olive oil and mixture is slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.
5. Remove Dutch oven from heat; remove and discard rosemary sprig. Add 1 cup (170g) chickpeas and 1 cup (240ml) stock, and using an immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Stir in remaining 2 cups (340ml) of chickpeas, 3 cups (710ml) stock, and black pepper. Season with salt to taste.
7. Bring chickpea mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is just shy of al dente (1 to 2 minutes less than the package directs, as the pasta will continue to cook off-heat), and liquid is reduced to a consistency that falls between soupy and saucy. Adjust consistency as needed with additional water, stock, or chickpea cooking liquid, keeping in mind that liquid will tighten up as it cools due to starch from the chickpeas.
8. Remove from heat, add cheese, and stir rapidly to incorporate. Season with salt to taste.
9. Divide between individual serving bowls and drizzle each serving with olive oil. Serve, passing extra grated cheese at the table.