Pasta e ceci

Make the soffritto: Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the crushed garlic, rosemary, and anchovies; cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant — don't let the garlic brown.

Add the chickpeas: Drain the tins (reserving the liquid), rinse the chickpeas, and add to the pot, stirring to coat in the oil.

Simmer: Add ~1.2 litres of water (or half water, half reserved tin liquid). Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes so the chickpeas take on flavour. Stir in the tomato paste and a pinch of salt.

Cream a third: Mash or blend about a third of the chickpeas and stir back in. The broth should look slightly creamy.

Add the risoni: Tip in the risoni and cook directly in the pot, stirring often, as the grains tend to stick on the bottom. Risoni takes ~8–10 minutes; add hot water splash by splash if it thickens too fast. Aim for a dense, spoonable stew.

Rest and serve: Off the heat, rest 5 minutes — it thickens considerably. Remove the garlic and rosemary, finish with black pepper and a generous drizzle of raw olive oil per bowl.