Lot 10 Cucina & Bar’s orecchiette ceci e spinaci

Lot 10 Cucina and Bar is a little slice of Calabria, right in the heart of the market district. It is truly a family affair so prepare to be welcomed and fed accordingly. Owner Vincent Nesci is at the helm, mother Carmela whips up traditional Calabrian fare from the kitchen, and sister Rosa and dad Giuseppe often pop in to lend a helping hand.

Each dish is lovingly made from produce sourced entirely from the Adelaide Central Market. Gnocchi is crafted, each delicious layer of lasagna laid, and each meatball rolled by Camela herself while Vincent brings to the floor his experience of taking care of some of the biggest stars in the world.

The décor fits somewhere at the intersection of classic and contemporary with leather buttoned lounges, marble tables and Eames-eque wire chairs. The backdrop allows the restaurant to seamlessly slip into small bar mode on Friday and Saturday nights where a posse gathers out the front and the sounds of smooth jazz seeps out to the street.

Fun fact: While the current iteration of 10 Market Street comes in the form of Lot 10 Cucina & Bar, Vincent’s father and uncle had a a tailor and hairdressing shop at the very same location in the 70s.

Serves: 4 people

Preparation time: 10 minutes (excludes overnight soaking of chickpeas)

Cooking time: 50 minutes

• 200gm of Ceci (Dried Chickpeas)
• 1 Red Onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 Celery stick, finely diced
• 1 twig of fresh Rosemary
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 Anchovies (optional)
• Chilli, finely sliced (optional)
• 400gm of Orecchiette Pasta
• 100gm Grated Parmesan
• 4 handfuls of Baby Spinach
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Soak the Chickpeas in luke warm water overnight. Make sure you have covered the Chickpeas with water. Add several inches of water to allow for expansion.
2. Next morning, drain the Chickpeas, rinse in cold water and set aside.
3. Place your diced onion, garlic, celery, anchovies (optional) & chilli (optional) to a large pot with olive oil and lightly fry until golden brown.
4. Add your Chickpeas to the large pot and cover with water.
5. Add 4 pinches of salt, one pinch of black pepper & the fresh rosemary twig.
6. Simmer until the Chickpeas are tender (30-40 minutes)
7. Meanwhile, boil your Orecchiette in water until al dente.
8. Strain your Orecchiette.
9. Mix the Chickpeas with the Orecchiette.
10. Add your grated parmesan.
11. Add your baby spinach.
12. Gently stir the baby spinach through the Orecchiette and chickpeas.
13. Serve in a large warm bowl.
14. Sprinkle with fresh chilli and extra grated parmesan to taste, with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to finish
15. Buon appetito, enjoy your meal.