Mezze Maniche Con Ceci e Pancetta

Ingredients

• 1 onion, sliced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-4 dry chilies, deseeded and finely chopped
• olive oil
• 200 gr/7 oz smoked pancetta, in cubes (optional)
• 500 gr/17 oz passata di pomodoro
• 350 gr/12 1/3 oz chickpeas
• 1 l/4 1/3 cups vegetable stock
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh flat leaf parsley
• mezze maniche pasta

Directions

1. Puree the onion, garlic and chili in a blender until smooth. Heat olive oil in a pan and fry this smooth mix for a couple of minutes. Add the pancetta and continue for another 3 or 4 minutes.
2. Add the passata di pomodoro and cook for another 5 minutes on a medium heat. Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas and cook still for further 5 minutes.
3. Like when cooking risotto, add some vegetable broth at a time letting the sauce simmer down and thicken for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente in a pot filled with boiling salted water. Drain the pasta and mix it with the ready sauce. Garnish each plate with some fresh flat leaf parsley. Serve immediately.