Chickpeas and Pasta with Herbs and Anchovies (Ceci e Acciughe con Pasta)

Ingredients

• 3 cup Cooked chickpeas, drained (Reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid for the sauce; canned chickpeas may be used.)
• 0.5 cup Chickpea cooking liquid (aquafaba) (Reserved from draining the chickpeas.)
• 1 lb Short curly or hollow pasta (Choose a shape similar in size to the chickpeas, with grooves or nooks to hold the sauce.)
• 0.5 cup Extra-virgin olive oil (Used to infuse the herbs and anchovies.)
• 8 Anchovy fillets (Finely chopped or mashed; quantity estimated because the complete ingredient list was not visible.)
• 8 Fresh sage leaves (Quantity estimated from the described herb-infused oil.)
• 1 tbsp Fresh rosemary (Finely chopped; quantity estimated from the described herb-infused oil.)
• 3 clove Garlic (Thinly sliced or minced; estimated because the complete ingredient list was not visible.)
• Kosher salt (To taste; use cautiously because anchovies are salty.)
• Red pepper flakes (Optional, to taste; estimated from the style of preparation.)

Steps

1. 1

   Drain the chickpeas over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup of their cooking liquid, also called aquafaba. If using canned chickpeas, rinse and drain them, reserving liquid from the cans if available and supplementing with water as needed.

2. 2

   Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.

3. 3

   While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the sage, rosemary, garlic, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook gently until the herbs are fragrant and the garlic is pale golden; do not let the garlic burn.

4. 4

   Add the anchovies to the infused oil. Cook, stirring and pressing them with a spoon, until they dissolve into the oil and create a savory mixture, about 1 to 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the drained chickpeas and toss to coat them thoroughly in the anchovy-and-herb oil. Cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are hot and lightly coated.

6. 6

   Pour in the reserved 1/2 cup aquafaba. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced and silky, about 5 minutes. Lightly mash some of the chickpeas against the side of the pan to help thicken the sauce while leaving most chickpeas whole.

7. 7

   Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss vigorously with the chickpea sauce. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time, as needed, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the pasta rather than pooling in the pan.

8. 8

   Taste and adjust the seasoning, keeping in mind the saltiness of the anchovies. Serve immediately, spooning the chickpeas and herbs over the pasta and drizzling with additional olive oil if desired.

Notes

The source explains that the traditional dish is chickpeas cooked in olive oil infused with sage, rosemary, and anchovies, with chickpea cooking liquid forming the sauce. The complete member-only ingredient list and directions were not visible, so several quantities and technique details are estimates. Do not discard aquafaba; it contributes a silky texture and subtle sweet, nutty flavor. If using dried chickpeas, cook them separately and reserve at least 1/2 cup of their cooking liquid.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• Italian
• Tuscan-inspired
• one-pan
• comfort food
• anchovies
• high-fiber