Victoria granof’s pasta con ceci

Pasta and macaroni Italian cuisine

It’s astonishing how much comfort you can derive—fast—out of basic ingredients you’ve used a thousand times. Here are the keys: First, you need to use all of the olive oil—it gives the soup substance and body, carries the other flavors, and makes up for the fact that you’re making an otherwise austere soup without a rich stock. As Granof says, “It’s what’ll make you think you’re on a balcony in Naples when you eat this.” Second, cook the garlic in the oil until it’s actually browned a bit, not simply softened. This makes the flavor toasty and nutty, and not bitter, despite what nonna might say. You can leave this as soupy or stewy as you like. Granof makes it for her son once a week. "I used to give him Parmesan rinds to teethe on, and when he no longer needed to teethe, I started throwing them in this pasta." Adapted slightly from <a href="http://www.shortstackeditions.com/products/vol-17-chickpeas-by-victoria-granof"><strong>Chickpeas</strong></a> by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/victoriagranof/"><strong>Victoria Granof</strong></a> (Short Stack Editions, 2015).

Nov. 13, 2023, 7:55 a.m.