You can barely take a step in Puglia without encountering homemade orecchiette, which have an unusual hybrid flavor somewhere between dried and fresh pasta (they're made from semolina and contain no eggs). They happen to be the ideal shape to pair with chickpeas, since many orecchiette will naturally cradle a pea along with the perfect amount of sauce. Though homemade pasta is intensely gratifying (and delicious), this sauce also goes very well with fine-quality store-bought orecchiette (see cooks' note, below).
·You can substitute 3/4 pound dried fine-quality semolina Orecchiette for the homemade.
·Orecchiette can be formed (but not cooked) 3 days ahead. Chill, covered with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and then plastic wrap, on towel-lined trays.
·You can substitute two 19-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, for cooked dried ones.
·To quick-soak chickpeas, cover with water by 2 inches in a medium pot and bring to a boil, then boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and cover, then soak 1 hour. Drain, discarding water.
·Chickpeas can be cooked 2 days ahead. Cool completely and chill (in cooking liquid), covered.
·Sauce, without parsley, can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat, stirring in parsley.
Recipe information
Total Time
4 1/4 hr (if quick-soaking beans)
Yield
Makes 8 (first course) servings
Ingredients
For sauce
For orecchiette
Accompaniment:
Preparation
Make sauce:
Step 1
Soak chickpeas in water to cover by 2 inches overnight (8 hours) or quick-soak (see cooks' note, below), then drain.
Step 2
Simmer chickpeas with whole garlic cloves and bay leaf in water to cover by 2 inches in a 4- to 5-quart pot, partially covered with lid, adding more water if necessary, until tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Drain chickpeas and discard garlic and bay leaf.
Step 3
Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook onion, celery, carrots, chopped garlic, red-pepper flakes (to taste), and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 12 minutes. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, water, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and sea salt to taste.
Make orecchiette:
Step 4
Stir together water and sea salt in a bowl until salt has dissolved. Add semolina in a stream, beating with an electric mixer at medium speed until a stiff dough forms, about 2 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead with lightly floured hands (use all-purpose flour) until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Divide dough into 5 pieces and let stand under an overturned bowl 30 minutes.
Step 5
Line each of 2 trays (or a work surface) with a dry kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and dust with some semolina. Keeping remaining dough covered, roll 1 piece of dough into a 14-inch-long rope (about 3/4 inch thick) on an unfloured surface. Cut rope into 1/4-inch pieces. Dust your thumb with some flour and press down on each piece of dough, pushing away from you and twisting your thumb slightly to form an indented curled shape (like an ear). Transfer as formed to lined trays. Make more orecchiette with remaining dough. Let stand until dry, about 30 minutes.
Cook orecchiette:
Step 6
Cook orecchiette in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente, then drain and toss with sauce.
