Pasta e Ceci

We were cleaning out the DVR yesterday, and came across an episode of America's Test Kitchen that I must have recorded (weird) -- I had the time and watched it -- and it had a recipe for Pasta e Ceci -- which sounded absolutely delicious. So my husband and I cooked to together last night. Yes, we are now at the point in our relationship where cooking together on a Saturday night is as about as exciting as it gets. This was great, by the way -- I'll eat the leftovers this week.

Pasta e Ceci (with garbanzo beans)

Ingredients
4oz pancetta
1 carrot (chopped)
1 celery rib (chopped)
4 garlic cloves
1 onion, chopped
1 anchovy fillet (rinsed, patted dry, minced)
2 t. chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
1/4 c. olive oil
2 cans garbanzo beans
1 14 oz. can whole tomatoes
1 t. salt
2 c. water
 8 oz. small pasta (ditalini)
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 T. lemon juice
salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese to taste.


In the food processor combine pancetta, carrot, celery, and garlic. Pulse several times to chop and combine. Add onion, pulse several times to incorporate. Add anchovy, rosemary and red pepper flakes, pulse again several times. Turn mixture into dutch oven, add olive oil and saute approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently

While cooking pancetta combination, put whole tomatoes into the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped (not pureed).

After cooking pancetta combination, add garbanzo beans (with canning liquid), tomatoes, salt and water to the dutch oven. Heat to boil then reduce and simmer for 10 minutes.

Once the sauce has cooked for about 10 minutes, add the pasta, and continue simmering for 10 minutes.

Before serving, stir in parsley and lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Parmesan cheese.