Roman-Style Pasta and Chickpeas

Method

1. Soak the dried chickpeas in water for 12 hours. Drain and rinse, then cook in fresh water with a clove of garlic for 60–90 minutes until tender. Add salt in the last 10 minutes. Reserve the cooking water.
2. In a large pan, add olive oil, a clove of garlic, and a sprig of rosemary. Heat gently from cold until the garlic is golden and the rosemary releases its aroma.
3. Add the anchovy fillets and stir until they dissolve into the oil.
4. Add a handful of peeled datterini tomatoes (or tomato concentrate) and crush them with a spoon. Cook until the sauce turns slightly pink.
5. Add the cooked chickpeas to the pan and stir to coat them in the sauce. Remove the garlic clove and rosemary sprig.
6. Take a small portion of the chickpeas and blend them with some of the reserved cooking water to make a creamy puree.
7. Pour enough chickpea cooking water into the pan to cover the chickpeas. Bring to a boil.
8. Add the broken pasta (spaghetti or ditalini) and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente (about 8 minutes).
9. During cooking, add the chickpea cream to thicken the soup to your desired consistency.
10. Let the pasta and chickpeas rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
11. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with chopped fresh rosemary and chili pepper to taste.