Ciceri e tria [ˈtʃiːtʃeri e tˈtriːa] is a pasta dish in Italian cuisine that originated in Apulia. It is a part of the cuisine in the Salento region of Italy. It is prepared with pasta and chickpeas as primary ingredients, and includes fried pasta. The dish may be served as a primi piatti dish, a first course that consists of a pasta dish. It has been described as a "classic and emblematic dish of Salentine cuisine"[1] and as a specialty dish of Apulia.[2]

Ciceri e tria

Type	Pasta
Place of origin	Italy
Region or state	Salento
Main ingredients	chickpeas and fried pasta

Origin

Ciceri e tria has been stated to have originated in the Salento region of Italy (which is within the region of Apulia), where it is a common dish.[1]

Etymology

Ciceri means "chickpeas" in Latin.[3] Tria, meaning "pasta" or "noodle," derives from an Arabic word for pasta, إطرية iṭriyah (from the root طرو ṭ-r-w or طري ṭ-r-y 'to be fresh, moist, tender').[4] It means "pasta" in the Genoese dialect.[5][3] "Tria" can also refer to tagliatelle, a traditional pasta, the term being from the dialect of Apulia.[6] Tria can also refer to a type of pasta in Sicily.[7] Tria is an old word that is still used in many areas of Southern Italy, particularly in Sicily.[7]

Ingredients and preparation

Pasta and chickpeas are the primary ingredients in Ciceri e tria.[1][3] Some versions of the dish may have a significant amount of broth, which may be eaten using a spoon.[1] Some of the pasta (from one-third to one-half) is fried in oil as part of its preparation, while the rest of it is boiled.[1][3] The use of fried pasta was originally performed to create a quality or mouthfeel of meatiness in the dish during times of meat scarcity.[1] The fried pasta may also add crunchiness to the dish.[1] Apulian versions may involve the chickpeas being simmered over a low heat while fresh pasta is being prepared.[3] Dried/uncooked chickpeas may be soaked one day prior to preparation of the dish.[3][5] Additional ingredients may include onion, carrot, celery and garlic.[3] It may be seasoned with black pepper.[3] It has been described as having a bacon-like flavor.[5] It may be served as a side dish with bread or rice.[1]

Service

In Apulia, the dish is a common primi piatti dish,[7] which is a first course of pasta. In the Italian formal meal structure, a first course is referred to as primo, and typically consists of hot food.

See also

• Pasta e ceci
• List of Italian dishes
• List of legume dishes
• List of pasta dishes

References

Sources

• Aggarwal, Uma (2013). America's Favorite Recipes, Part II: The Melting Pot Cuisine. iUniverse. ISBN 1475977867.
• Anderson, Burton. The Foods of Italy: An endless adventure in taste (5th ed.). Italian Trade Commission.
• Gade, H. W. (2003). The Digital Pasta Book 1 / Italian pasta. Vol. 1. NORDISC Music & Text. ISBN 8788619478.
• Taylor, John Martin (2013). The Fearless Frying Cookbook. Workman Publishing Company. ISBN 0761172009.
• Zanini De Vita, Oretta (2009). Encyclopedia of Pasta. University of California Press. p. 302. ISBN 0520944712.

Further reading

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on

• Ciceri e Tria

• Guaiti, Daniela (2010). Puglia (in Italian). Edizioni Gribaudo. p. 48. ISBN 8879068393.