Ciceri e Tria: Italian Pasta with Chickpeas and Crispy Fried Pasta
Ciceri e Tria is a traditional Italian pasta and chickpea dish from Salento, Puglia. Tender pasta and creamy chickpeas are combined with crispy ribbons of pasta fried in olive oil, creating a rustic dish with wonderful contrast in texture.
Ingredients
For the chickpeas
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- 1 cup finely chopped carrot
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 3-4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1-2 springs rosemary
- salt and pepper to taste
For the pasta
- 8 oz. fresh or dried tagliatelle or pappardelle
- 1/2 cup olive oil for frying
- salt for the pasta water
Instructions
- Make the chickpea base. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the chickpeas. Add the chickpeas, broth, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.
- Create a creamy texture. Remove the rosemary. Mash about ⅓ of the chickpeas with the back of a spoon, or blend a small portion with some broth and return it to the pot. You want the chickpeas to create a naturally creamy sauce while still leaving plenty whole.
- Prepare the pasta.
Divide the pasta
Divide the fresh tagliatelle into two portions. One portion will be cooked in boiling water, while the other portion will be fried directly in olive oil—without boiling it first. - Fry the pasta. Divide the pasta in half. Leave one half in long ribbons for boiling. Break the remaining half into shorter, bite-size pieces. Heat ½ cup olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the broken pasta pieces in batches until golden and crisp, turning carefully as they cook. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and lightly season with salt.
- Cook the remaining pasta. Cook the remaining fresh pasta in the boiling water until just tender, usually 2–3 minutes. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Combine. Add the cooked pasta to the chickpeas. Stir gently, adding a splash of pasta water if needed. The consistency should be creamy but not soupy.
- Finish with the crispy pasta. Spoon into bowls and generously scatter the fried pasta over the top. Finish with extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
For the best texture, break half of the fresh pasta into short pieces before frying. Fry the pasta uncooked until golden and crisp, and keep it separate until just before serving so it stays crunchy.