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Chickpeas and Pasta

A simple dish with a 'sauce' of mashed chickpeas, onion, garlic, carrot, lemon and parmesan, mixed with short pasta.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: carrot, chickpea pasta, chickpeas, garlic, How to cook a wolf, lemon, mfk fisher, onion, parmesan
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 c. Dry, medium pasta (elbows, shells, etc.) (alt: chickpea or other preferred pasta)
  • 1 Can chickpeas, drained & mashed (yield: 2 cups)
  • 2 Tb. Olive oil
  • 1 Carrot, peeled & minced
  • 1 Celery rib, minced
  • 1 Small onion, peeled & minced
  • 1-2 Garlic cloves, peeled & minced
  • ~1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1 Tb. Unsalted butter
  • 1 Lemon, zested (plus juice of 1/2 lemon)
  • 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2+ Tb. Fresh herbs (chives or parsley or rosemary)
  • 1/4 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to package directions, but be sure to reserve about 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid before draining the pasta (and set aside until ready to use)!
  • Mash the chickpeas in a bowl, using a potato masher or a large fork.
  • Add olive oil to a deep skillet, over medium/low heat. When warm, add carrot, celery, onion and garlic and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir and cook slowly, until soft.
  • When vegetables are cooked, add chickpeas, 3/4 c. of pasta water, and butter. Stir and simmer gently 1-2 minutes, then add pasta.
  • Turn off heat, add parmesan, lemon zest and lemon juice, along with a bit of pasta water at a time to achieve desired consistency (it should be a little saucy and creamy, not dry). Add more salt, if needed. Sprinkle with herbs and black pepper; serve immediately.