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It’s nice to have a pasta dish that you can quickly make and always have the ingredients on hand. If you don’t have one, this is the one for you. This is a perfect weeknight pasta dish to feed the family and to keep them full, its also healthy, creamy and delicious. To save time you can skip the process where I make a creamy spinach and chickpea sauce but as I explain in the video, theres a reason why I did it. Enjoy!
PASTA WITH SPINACH AND CHICKPEAS
Recipe by Mark Calaminici | Food Loves Company
Serves 4
Ingredients
5 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, smashed
Chili flakes, to taste
150g spinach, finely chopped
1 can chickpeas, reserve half of liquid, no need to rinse
Salt, to taste
Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Juice of half a lemon
450g Ditali pasta, or any short pasta
50-60g Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
Method
1. In a large sauté-pan over medium heat, add 3 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil, garlic, chilli flakes, half of the spinach and a quarter of the chickpeas with some liquid (aquafaba) . Sauté until everything has softened and the spinach has wilted. Add a ladle of water and then add the mixture to a blender or container for an immersion blender. Add the lemon juice and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust any seasonings. Set aside.
2. In the same pan, add 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, the remaining chickpeas and liquid (aquafaba). Sauté until the chickpeas start to soften. Mash a bit of the chickpeas, as much as you like. Add remaining spinach, season with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Sauté and cook everything down until softened.
3. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water just before al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve pasta water.
4. Add a ladle of pasta water to the pan with the spinach and chickpeas. Remove pasta a couple minutes before al dente to finish cooking in the pan. Add pasta to the pan along with creamy spinach and chickpea mixture. Mix and toss to incorporate everything adding more pasta water if needed. Turn off or remove pan from the heat and add Parmigiano-Reggiano a handful at a time while mixing and tossing. If you find the pasta is to thick just add a bite more pasta water to help loosen it up. Plate and garnish with more Parmigiano-Reggiano. Enjoy!