Chickpeas and Clams (Ceci e Vongole)
- Makes4 to 6 servings
- Cook Time30 minutes
Giancarlo Suriano is the founder of Surianolii, a purveyor of Calabrian ingredients. He demonstrated his version of ceci e vongole during our visit, a quick one-pot dish of chickpeas and clams. Calabrian chilies are fruity and not too spicy; Fresno chilies are a good substitute, and even red pepper flakes will do in a pinch. Canned chickpeas are easy and work well, but for the best flavor, cook your own dried chickpeas (see p. XX) and use 3 cups cooked chickpeas plus 1 cup of cooking liquid. If you prefer mussels, they work well in place of clams; the cooking time remains the same. Whichever you use, be sure to discard any that do not open after cooking.
Don’t add the clams until the broth is boiling, then quickly cover the pot. Clams cook best when blasted with heat and steam, so keep the lid on until ready to stir.
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