Soak the chickpeas overnight: Rinse the dry chickpeas under cool water. Grab handfuls and rub them together with your hands to wash them. Place chickpeas in a large stew pot, cover with water, and add baking soda. Swirl to distribute. Leave to soak for 8 hours or overnight.

Rinse the soaked chickpeas: The next day, pour chickpeas through a strainer and rinse well under cold running water. Rub them with your hands to remove any loose skins. Discard any discolored or floating chickpeas. Set aside.

Grate the vegetables: Using the large teeth of a box grater, grate the onion, celery, zucchini, and carrot. This step is very important – grated vegetables give a different flavor than diced.

Sauté the grated vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the stew pot over medium heat. Add grated vegetables and sauté for 1 minute. Add the fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme sprigs. Continue sautéing, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add broth, chickpeas, and tomatoes: Pour in 3 cups chicken broth. Add the soaked chickpeas and the whole canned tomatoes (crush them with your hands as you add them). Stir to combine.

Simmer until chickpeas are tender: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until chickpeas are tender, about 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

Cook the pasta: Stir in the ditalini pasta. Add more broth only as needed to achieve a thick, stew like consistency (start with ½ cup). Cook until pasta is tender with a bite, about 8-10 minutes.

Season and serve: Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat. Divide among serving bowls. Top each bowl with minced fresh cayenne pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.