Trofie Pasta with Bursting Tomatoes, Chickpea & Mozzarella

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This is such a simple pasta and made even better with my favourite pasta shape – trofie. This is a trofie pasta with bursting tomatoes, chickpeas and mozzarella. Topped with fresh basil, it’s so simple and such a tasty one to make as a weeknight dinner.

What is trofie?

Trofie is a short, twisted pasta from the Italian region of Liguria. With its spiral shape and rustic charm, this pasta is best known for pairing beautifully with pesto, especially the iconic Pesto alla Genovese. However, here I have given you a recipe that combines cherry tomatoes, trofie and pasta e ceci (pasta with chickpeas). It’s so delicious.

Traditionally, Ligurian women would sit at the table and roll tiny strips of dough into trofie using the palm of their hands and a wooden surface. The result: short, curled pasta pieces with tapered ends and a chewy texture.

Trofie are about 2 cm in length, twisted into a spiral with thinner ends and a slightly thicker centre. The surface is rough, ideal for clinging to sauces, especially oily or nut-based ones. Unlike many other pasta shapes, they are hand-rolled, giving them a distinctly rustic look.

What is trofie?
Why you’ll love this recipe
Ingredients
Substitutions and Variations
Here’s how to make trofie with tomato and chickpeas
Cooking Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Other recipes you might like
Trofie Pasta with Bursting Tomatoes, Chickpea & Mozzarella Recipe

Why you’ll love this recipe

It comes together in less than 30 minutes to make a delicious meal.
Trofie pasta is the star of the show.
It’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner but still special enough to serve to friends with the burrata on top.

Ingredients

Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!

Trofie pasta – this is a short spiral pasta from Liguria, Italy. It’s chewy yet small, so it works well in this sauce as it soaks up the tomato sauce into the ridges.

Cherry tomatoes – I use tomatoes that have grown on the vine for the best flavour.

Chickpeas – if you can find the jars, they are the best to use here and make such a difference to the final dish. But a tin is just fine, too.

Substitutions and Variations

Pesto – sometimes I drizzle pesto over the top rather than fresh basil. It melts into the tomato sauce for delicious flavour.

Pasta – this recipe is about trofie so I would highly encourage using it but any short pasta (or long) would still work.

Rocket/arugula – serving with a big handful of rocket/arugula on top, tossed with some salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon, adds a lovely pepperiness to this trofie dish.

Chickpeas – swap for cannellini beans or butterbeans if you prefer.

Here’s how to make trofie with tomato and chickpeas

Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.

ONE: Heat a very generous glug of olive oil in a pan over high heat. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook on high, tossing to coat the tomatoes in the oil.

pressing the tomatoes with the spatula. — Screenshot

TWO: After a few minutes, you can use your spoon to press down on the tomatoes to encourage them to burst. Once a sauce is forming, add the garlic and stir together. Season well with salt and pepper

THREE: Add the chickpeas, including their liquid.

FOUR: Keep cooking on high (medium-high if it’s bubbling a bit too much) until it reduces and looks thick and delicious, around 5-7 minutes. Add a splash of pasta water if it needs it to loosen it.

FIVE: Drain the pasta, and add to the tomatoes and chickpeas. Add a ladle of pasta water and a good grating of parmesan.

SIX: Serve into bowls and top each bowl with a dollop of cheat’s burrata and fresh basil. A drizzle of good olive oil finishes this off nicely!

Cooking Tips

Cheat’s burrata: I love mixing creme fraiche and mozzarella to make a cheat’s burrata! It’s creamy and tangy, spoons so nicely onto any kind of pasta and makes it something special.

Tear 125g mozzarella into small pieces in a medium bowl, pour over 100ml double cream and add ¼ tsp salt. Stir well to combine, then cover and chill for a couple of hours – or until ready to serve.
Tear 125g mozzarella into small pieces in a medium bowl, add 100g crème fraîche and a generous pinch of salt. Stir well to combine, then cover and chill for a couple of hours – or until ready to serve.

Pasta water: get into the habit of saving the pasta water when you drain your pasta. A few splashes will transform your sauces and take your pasta dishes to the next level.

Frequently Asked Questions

what is trofie?

Trofie is a short, twisted pasta from the Italian region of Liguria. With its spiral shape and rustic charm, this pasta is best known for pairing beautifully with pesto, but it’s great with other sauces too like this one.

what pasta is similar to trofie?

If you can’t find trofie, try fusilli or casarecce.

how do you pronounce trofie?

Trofie is pronounced ‘TROH-fi-eh’.

how long does trofie take to cook?

Dried trofie pasta takes 10-12 minutes, although this varies per brand. Fresh trofie takes less time, around 2-4 minutes.

Other recipes you might like

If you like this pasta recipe, try my pasta al pesto which uses the same shape. It’s made with pistachio pesto. Otherwise, my chicken and vodka pasta or marry me chicken pasta are both delicious.