Pasta & Chickpeas is a budget friendly meal that comes together in under 30 minutes.
It is actually a dish that I grew up on. As a vegetarian growing up, this dish was a favorite of mine. My mom would always cook it for us. Being a busy mom of four kids, she was always looking for easy ways to feed our family on a budget. Not only was this dish economical, but it was healthy too. Chickpeas are high in fiber, a great source of plant based protein and are rich in vitamins and minerals.
For this recipe I used my favorite brand of pasta @bio.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to choose your pasta brand wisely. I only use durum wheat, bronze cut, organic pasta from Italy and BIO checks off all these boxes.
I also used their sister brand JOvial chickpeas. Like the chickpeas I use in Italy, they are packed in glass which I love. And they taste great too.
Recipe below and printable version on my website www.miciamammas.com
Pasta and Chick Peas
(Serves 4)
¾ Cup Olive Oil
¼ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
2 13 oz. Jars, add with the juice of the jar
¾ tsp. Salt, plus extra for salting the pasta water
½ tsp. Pepper
1 lb. Fusilli
2 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
Grated Pecorino to taste.
Method
Boil some water for pasta. Once it begins to boil, add salt.
In a separate saucepan, saute garlic and olive oil, and red pepper flakes on a low flame until the garlic begins to cook through.
Once the garlic is cooked through, add in the chickpeas and combine. Sautée for about 5 minutes on low.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add in the fresh parsley. Combine well.
Boil your pasta. When the pasta is almost cooked, remove about one and a half cups of the pasta water.
Drain the pasta and add it to the chickpeas. Slowly add in the pasta water to create a looser sauce. Finished with grated pecorino Romano and serve.