Minestra di Pasta e Ceci: Pasta and Chickpea Soup
Pasta e ceci — pasta and chickpeas, in a thick rosemary-infused broth — is the chickpea preparation that demonstrates how a single aromatic (rosemary) can structure an entire dish. The rosemary's camphor-adjacent compounds (camphor, 1,8-cineole, borneol) extract into the olive oil during the soffritto stage and distribute through the broth — producing a preparation where the rosemary is identifiable but not dominant. The chickpea's earthy sweetness and the pasta's starch balance the rosemary's assertiveness.
- **Dried chickpeas:** Soaked overnight, cooked separately — the cooking liquid is part of the soup base - **The rosemary:** Fresh whole sprig added to the soffritto, then kept in throughout the cooking. Removed before service. The extended presence in the oil extracts the fat-soluble aromatic compounds without the harsh direct application of fresh chopped rosemary - **Anchovy (optional):** Some preparations include 2 anchovy fillets dissolved in the oil at the beginning — their inosinate compounds amplify the chickpea's glutamates without producing any fish flavour in the finished dish
Hazan