Pasta E Ceci Quick One Pot Meal

When you are late getting dinner ready, a quick one pot meal is a savior. To me, this means it should

• Be quick to make, and uncomplicated. There should not be a lot of time spent chopping or attention to the stove top while it's cooking

• The ingredients should be readily available in the pantry

• There should not be a lot of clean up - I'm in a rush!
• It should be reasonably healthy

Pasta e Ceci is all of these things. It only required a few ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. While it's cooking, it doesn't require constant attention, just a quick stir now and then. The garbanzo beans add protein; using canned beans does away with soaking and them overnight. To speed up cooking and cleaning, this recipe does away with measuring cups and storing left over half-used boxes of ingredients by using the containers themselves as the measurement.

Also, you can change up the recipe here any way you want, depending on your tastes and what you have in the pantry although it's pretty good as is.

Serves 4

1 1lb box pasta in a small shape such as Ditalini, Orecchiette, or small Conchiglie

2 16- oz cans Garbanzo beans

1 6 oz can tomato paste

2 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons garlic

salt & pepper to taste

1 1/2 cans water (use garbanzo bean can)

Optionally, rosemary is traditional, but use Italian spices, red pepper flakes, or whatever you like

(All sizes are estimates, adjust to what you have on hand)

• Place your pot on the stove and heat up some olive oil. As it heats, mince some garlic and place it in the pot when the oil starts to shimmer . Saute the garlic for a minute or so, until it begins to brown.
• Add in the entire can of tomato paste, the entire box of pasta, and both cans of garbanzo beans including the water. The water garbanzo beans is salty, so there is no need to add more salt.
• Using the garbanzo bean can as your measuring cup, add 1 and 1/2 cans of water.
• Add any spices you are using, to taste.
• Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add additional water if needed.

All the boxed and canned ingredients should be used up, and you should have used only one pot and a perhaps a knife and cutting board to mince some garlic. So, go on, eat up, and enjoy your evening!