Welcome, if you’re new here; and welcome back, if you’re an old hand around these parts. I hope you had a good holiday. This January, I’ll be playing DJ, hosting the equivalent of the chilled Saturday slot, except with food rather than tunes. The recipes this month will be relaxed, easy to put together and somewhat familiar. First up is this take on pasta e ceci, because life is always good with pasta, beans and broth. I’ve taken the liberty of amping up the flavour with some sun-dried tomato, preserved lemon and chilli, and I hope you (or any Italians reading) don’t mind.
Pasta with chickpeas, preserved lemon and chilli
Nutritional yeast adds a creamy texture and a cheesy, savoury flavour. You can buy it in any major supermarket.
Prep 15 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 4
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked
1 brown onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium carrots (200g), peeled and finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
2 x 400g tinned chickpeas, not drained
1 preserved lemon (30g), deseeded, rind and pulp finely chopped
160g macaroni
1½ teaspoon fine salt
1½ tsp dried chipotle flakes
20g nutritional yeast
¾ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
First, make some rosemary oil. Put 80ml extra-virgin olive oil and the rosemary leaves in a small pan on a low heat for four to five minutes, until bubbling, then take off the heat and leave to infuse while you make the rest of the dish.
Put five tablespoons of oil in a large casserole pot on a low-medium heat and, when hot, add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste, stir for 30 seconds, then add one of the tins of chickpeas and all the water from the can, and mash with a potato masher until you have a rough paste.
Stir in the preserved lemon and the second tin of chickpeas and its water, then add the pasta, a teaspoon and a half of salt, the chilli, and a litre and a half of tap water. Stir to combine, cover the pan and leave to simmer until the pasta is cooked – it could take a bit longer than the packet suggests (mine took 15 minutes).
Stir in the nutritional yeast and black pepper, simmer for a final three or four minutes, then divide across four bowls, drizzle the rosemary oil on top and serve.
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Should we all be vegan? On Tuesday 30 January at 8pm GMT, Meera Sodha joins a live-streamed discussion on the pros, cons, realities and myths of a plant-based diet. Tickets available here.
