Every now and then I publish una ricetta italiana (an Italian recipe), and if you browse through my recipe blogs you will notice that they all have one thing in common: they are senza carne (without meat). That’s because Geoff and I are vegetariani. Is it unusual to be vegetarian in Italy? Well, you’ll have to wait for my next blog ‘Essere Vegetariani in Italia’ to find out!

Meanwhile here is another of the many traditional Italian recipes that doesn’t contain carne. This one is a nice warming nutritious meal for the winter:  Pasta e Ceci

Ceci (chick peas) are one of the most common legumi (pulses) in the world, and are particularly appreciated in the Middle East and India. In Italy they are mostly cultivated in the central regions. Ceci are associated with an important episode in the history of Sicily. In the 13th century Sicily was under the control of the French Angiò dynasty, but in 1282 a revolt known as “i Vespri siciliani” broke out in Palermo that led to the expulsion of the French. During this period the Sicilian rebels adopted an ingenious method of unmasking the French who tried to hide amongst the local population in order to escape. When someone was suspected of being French they were asked to pronounce the word ciceri (Sicilian dialect for ceci). If the suspect was unable to correctly pronounce the word, revealing a French accent, he was passato per le armi (shot!).

Ecco la ricetta (Here’s the recipe):

200 gr di ditali rigati = 200 grams of ‘ditali rigati’ (a small pasta used in soup)

300 gr di ceci secchi = 300 grams of dried chick peas

2 spicchi d’aglio = 2 cloves of garlic

2 rametti di rosmarino = 2 sprigs of rosemary

5 cl di olio extravergine d’oliva = 50 ml of extra virgin olive oil

sale e pepe = salt and pepper

Soak the chick peas in plenty of cold water for at least 12 hours, then put them in a large saucepan with the water used for soaking, adding a clove of finely chopped garlic and a sprig of rosemary. Gently boil the chick peas for about 40 minutes or until they are tender but not mushy. Puree a third of the cooked chick peas and return it to the saucepan. In a small frying pan fry the remaining garlic and rosemary in the olive oil until golden, then pour it over the chick peas. Bring everything to the boil, then add the pasta and salt. Cook the pasta for a few minutes until al dente. Serve hot, sprinkled with freshly ground pepper and, optionally, grated pecorino stagionato (mature sheep cheese).

Buon Appetito!