This is not the best time of year to shop for food, so a rummage in the store cupboard might be a better bet. Peel and roughly chop 2 medium-sized onions. Warm 3 tbsp of olive oil in a deep pan over a moderate heat, stir in the onions and let them cook for 10 minutes until they are beginning to soften.
Peel and finely slice 3 cloves of garlic and add them to the onions with the leaves from 5 bushy stems of thyme, 3 tsp of chopped rosemary leaves, 3 bay leaves and a ½ tsp of dried chilli flakes. Stir well and continue to cook until the onions are pale gold in colour and soft to the touch.
Stir in 400g of canned tomatoes and either a 700g jar of chickpeas or a couple of 400g tins (you can include the canning liquid or not, as you wish). Leave to simmer gently for about 15 minutes, seasoning generously with both salt and black pepper. While this is simmering, put a medium-sized saucepan of water on to boil. Add 100g of small pasta such as delightful tiny stars of stellate or rice-shaped orzo to the boiling water and cook until tender but not soft. Drain and then stir the cooked pasta into the stew.
Taste the sauce, then stir in 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar and, if you wish, a teaspoon or two of sugar or honey. Enough for 4
You can vary this recipe according to what you have in your cupboard. Swap the chickpeas for any cans of pulses you have. Haricot and flageolet or cannellini are particularly suitable.
This is a robust and filling supper due to the double whammy of carbs. Just the ticket for a cold winter night.
A pan of stellate, the tiny star-like gems of pasta, cooks very quickly. It can be tender in 5 or 6 minutes. Orzo takes slightly longer.
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