ORECCHIETTE WITH CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Soak chickpeas in water to cover by 2 inches overnight (8 hours) or quick-soak (see cooks' note, below), then drain.
• Simmer chickpeas with whole garlic cloves and bay leaf in water to cover by 2 inches in a 4- to 5-quart pot, partially covered with lid, adding more water if necessary, until tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Drain chickpeas and discard garlic and bay leaf.
• Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook onion, celery, carrots, chopped garlic, red-pepper flakes (to taste), and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 12 minutes. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, water, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and sea salt to taste.
• Make orecchiette:
• Stir together water and sea salt in a bowl until salt has dissolved. Add semolina in a stream, beating with an electric mixer at medium speed until a stiff dough forms, about 2 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead with lightly floured hands (use all-purpose flour) until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Divide dough into 5 pieces and let stand under an overturned bowl 30 minutes.
• Line each of 2 trays (or a work surface) with a dry kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and dust with some semolina. Keeping remaining dough covered, roll 1 piece of dough into a 14-inch-long rope (about 3/4 inch thick) on an unfloured surface. Cut rope into 1/4-inch pieces. Dust your thumb with some flour and press down on each piece of dough, pushing away from you and twisting your thumb slightly to form an indented curled shape (like an ear). Transfer as formed to lined trays. Make more orecchiette with remaining dough. Let stand until dry, about 30 minutes.
• Cook orecchiette:
• Cook orecchiette in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente, then drain and toss with sauce.