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Lagane e Ceci

17/11/2023

Lagane e ceci is a traditional dish from the cuisine of Southern Italy, particularly from the Campania region and Lucania. It’s a very simple and rustic dish, consisting of fresh pasta paired with a chickpea sauce. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

  • 300 g of lagane (pasta similar to tagliatelle but wider and shorter)
  • 400 g of dried chickpeas (soaked the night before) or 800 g of canned cooked chickpeas
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • Red chili pepper to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • (Optional) A piece of guanciale or pancetta for flavoring

Preparation

  1. If using dried chickpeas, after soaking them overnight, drain them and put them in a pot with plenty of water. Bring to a boil and cook until the chickpeas are tender. This could take more than an hour, depending on the hardness of the chickpeas.
  2. Drain the chickpeas, reserving some of the cooking water.
  3. In a large pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil and add the garlic cloves and the sprig of rosemary. If you have opted to use guanciale or pancetta, cut them into small pieces and add to the pan to brown.
  4. Add the chickpeas and let fry for a few minutes. Then add some of the cooking water to obtain a cream and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes over low heat, adjusting salt and red chili pepper to taste.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the lagane in abundant salted water, following the cooking times indicated on the package or, if you made them at home, for about 6-8 minutes until al dente.
  6. Drain the lagane and transfer them to the pan with the chickpeas, tossing for a few minutes to blend the flavors well.
  7. Serve hot, adding a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil if desired.

This rustic dish is characterized by its rich flavor and the use of chickpeas, nutritious and tasty legumes. Lagane is a type of pasta that is well-suited to collecting the sauce and the chickpeas, thus creating a simple but very tasty combination. It’s a perfect dish to consume on colder days, when a warm and nourishing meal is especially appreciated. If you can’t find lagane, you can also use other types of fresh pasta at your disposal.