Chickpea and Pasta Soup

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 cups cooked (page 431) or canned chickpeas, drained
• 1/4 cup small pasta, like elbow macaroni or broken spaghetti
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley sprigs, optional

1. Put the 3 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan or stockpot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are fragrant and softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the rosemary and chickpeas and stir well.
4. Pour in enough water to cover the chickpeas, cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Cool the mixture slightly if time allows (its never a good idea to puree boiling hot mixtures if you can avoid it).
6. Use a food mill, an immersion blender, or an upright blender to puree the mixture.
7. If you are going to refrigerate the soup, do so now.
8. If not, return it to the saucepan and reheat over low heat.
9. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water until nearly tender; drain.
10. Just before serving, stir the pasta into the soup and reheat.
11. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley, and serve, drizzled with a little more olive oil.
12. Add 1/2 cup canned plum tomatoes, chopped, with their juices, after the vegetables have softened.
13. Cook for 5 minutes and then substitute 1 cup dried lentils (no need to soak) for the chickpeas.
14. Stir well, add enough water to cover, cover the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes.
15. Cook the pasta as in step 2 and proceed directly to step 3.
16. Do not puree the soup mixture.
17. Instead, just add the cooked pasta before serving.
18. Add 1/2 cup canned plum tomatoes, chopped, with their juices after the vegetables have softened.
19. Cook for 5 minutes and add the cooked chickpeas.
20. Do not add water to cover.
21. Instead, continue stirring and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
22. Meanwhile, cook 1 cup short Italian pasta, like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli.
23. Toss the cooked pasta with the chickpea mixture, season with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley, and serve.

extra virgin olive oil, garlic, carrot, celery stalk, onion, rosemary, chickpeas, pasta, salt, parsley sprigs

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chickpea-and-pasta-soup-385831 (may not work)