Cecis and Rice

My grandmother used to make a batch of this tasty recipe at least once a week, and, since she lived in an apartment above our house, she always had some on hand to share with us. It can be considered a humble recipe, but it is delicious, and every time I eat it, I remember my Grandma. Make sure you entirely cool the rice before you add it to the sauce, or else it will absorb too much of the liquid and not be the proper consistency. It should be a bit thicker than soup, but not nearly as thick as risotto. There should be a good bit of sauce in every bite. My grandmother used to add whole clothes of garlic to the recipe, instead of using minced, so that the garlic flavor was a little milder, but I have always loved garlic, so I used to pop the whole, softened cloves in my mouth like candy!

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. black pepper
2 14 oz cans chickpeas, drained
4 cups cooked white rice, cooled

Heat olive oil in a deep pot or dutch oven. Add minced garlic, saute lightly. Add crushed tomatoes, water, bouillon cubes, basil, oregano, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add chickpeas and rice. Simmer about 10 minutes, or until heated through.