Sauté the garlic clove in olive oil with a sprig of rosemary—and if you want, the chopped pancetta, red pepper and/or parsley. (Each of these adds another layer of flavor.)

When the aroma of the garlic and rosemary begins wafting about, add the tomato (add more if you like, depending on how 'red' you want the dish) and simmer for a few minutes. Add the can of ceci, well drained and rinsed, and allow them to insaporire (absorb the flavors of the tomato and aromatics) for 5 minutes or so.

Then add water or broth to cover the ceci, simmer for another 5 minutes. To thicken the soup, either crush some of the chickpeas against the side of the pot or, for a more refined effect, scoop up about a third of them and pass them through a food mill back into the pot. They will 'melt' into the liquid and thicken the soup.

Then add the pasta, which you should boil separately until slightly underdone. I usually use ditalini (also known as tubetti) but other small 'soup' pastas will also do fine (see below). Simmer for a minute or two more.

When the pasta is cooked al dente, turn off the heat (adding a bit more water if needed) and cover the pot and allow it to rest for 3-5 minutes. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil or a good grinding of black pepper--or both. Some folks like to add grated cheese on top.