Sometimes, life calls for a bowl of deeply comforting pasta. Enter Afrim Pristine, a maître fromager — an internationally recognized master of cheese — and cheese shop owner who knows a thing or two about making cheese shine. His pasta e ceci is infused with a double dose of Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino Romano that makes every bite a little more indulgent.
The dish — which comes from Pristine's cookbook A Passport to Cheese — is inspired by the rustic Italian flavors of Pristine's childhood: "Modesta Pristine is my incredible, loving, and selfless mother. She also happens to be one of the best cooks I know and was essentially the person who got me excited about cooking when I was a young child. My mom was born and raised in Avellino, a small town outside Naples in southern Italy. This area of the country is known for its rustic, simple, and delicious food, like this dish." Her influence radiates through in the hearty, cheesy dish, which makes this a delicious tribute to the flavors and traditions of his family's kitchen.
Modesta’s Pasta e Ceci
Author: Afrim Pristine
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Calories: 680 calories per serving
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 6 oz (170 g) tubetti pasta
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 cans (each 15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3½ oz (100 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, divided
- 3½ oz (100 g) pecorino romano, grated, divided
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the tubetti for 1 minute less than the package directions advise, then drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, rosemary sprigs, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes, until the garlic softens.
- Add the red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and tomatoes. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and have released their liquid, then remove and discard the rosemary sprigs.
- Pour in the stock and chickpeas and let the sauce reduce for about 5 minutes, until thickened.
- Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Add about three-quarters of both the Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino romano cheeses, and stir to incorporate. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Divide the pasta among 4 plates, garnish with the remaining cheeses, and serve.
Excerpted from A Passport to Cheese by Afrim Pristine. Copyright © 2026 Afrim Pristine. Photographs by Paula Wilson. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
