I had a monster of a day yesterday, but knowing I had four batches of dough rising at home kept me grounded.  Baking all of that bread meant a lot of time in the kitchen, and what better way to spend it than over a slowly simmering pot of soup?  The word ditalini immediately sprang to mind (such a jubilant, staccato word – di-ta-li-ni!), and I knew exactly what I wanted to make.  The rest of my crappy day fell by the wayside as I immediately began visualizing my evening.  Plucking a couple of fresh rosemary sprigs, a few leaves of Swiss chard, maybe some thyme or marjoram.  Sifting the dried chickpeas through my fingers as I rinsed and sorted them into the pot.  Gathering the remains of my market veggies for the stock.  Planning this soup became my happy place for the rest of the day, and it tasted just as good as I’d expected.

There are a lot of shortcuts that could be taken to hasten this soup from stove to table, and to each their own.  For me personally, taking the longest route possible is what makes the experience the most satisfying; it’s the details, the minutiae, that nourish my inner foodie.  The only concession I made was to use a pressure cooker; it’s the only way I ever cook beans lately (except lentils).  Aside from it being a way to conserve energy, Little Chew likes to stir things in pots, and she really likes to adjust the flame whenever there is a burner going.  Simmering pot for 1-2 hours + overzealous toddler = DISASTER.  Therefore, pressure cooked beans are the way to go in my kitchen. Using the pressure cooker was also a really great way to infuse the beans and broth with the flavors of fresh vegetables and herbs.

Pasta e Ceci

Serves 4 – 6

Combine in a pressure cooker:

• 2 cups dried chickpeas, sorted and rinsed
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, rinsed
• large bunch of fresh thyme, rinsed
• 1 medium yellow onion, ends trimmed, peeled and quartered
• 2 large carrots, ends trimmed, peeled and halved
• 2 stalks celery with leaves, rinsed and halved
• 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
• generous splash (at least 2 Tbs) of olive oil (this will keep foam down inside cooker)
• 6-7 cups filtered water (don’t fill cooker more than halfway)

Note No. 1:  You may want to place the rosemary and thyme in cheese cloth (or sterile gauze) or tie them with string.  The rosemary needles will soften considerably, but will definitely fall off the stems as they cook.

Note No. 2:  Do not add salt or anything acidic (such as tomatoes) as they will cause the skins to harden.

Fasten the lid securely and start the pressure cooker.  Once you’ve reached optimal pressure, cook for 45 minutes.  If your beans are fresh, cook for 35.  Remove the cooker from the heat.  When it’s safe to open, check that the beans are tender.  Al dente is okay, but you don’t want them undercooked.  If they are still too firm, add some more water and pressure cook for another ten minutes and re-check.  Repeat as necessary, or just remove the lid and simmer in the pot until they reach desired tenderness.  It is nearly impossible to overcook chickpeas, so don’t be timid!

When the chickpeas are tender, remove them from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.  Fish out any stems and the remains of the onion, garlic, and celery.  Compost/discard.  Place about one cup of cooked chickpeas in a food processor along with the remains of the carrots and about one cup of the broth.  Puree until smooth, and add back to the pot.

Bring the soup back to a simmer and add:

• 1 cup ditalini
• 5-6 young Swiss chard leaves, rinsed, stems minced and leaves shredded into bite-sized pieces

Simmer until the pasta is al dente, about five minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the top and serve immediately, preferably with a big hunk of fresh bread!