I originally wrote and posted this seven years ago, as I was going through my first-grade school book published right after the Second World War. In it there was a description of fassoláda (bean soup), which was often referred to as ‘the Greek national dish’ in the old days. Surprisingly, the version in my book had no tomato! I was shocked, as fassoláda is always made with tomatoes as far as I can remember, but probably in those days canned tomatoes as well as tomato paste were not yet a common ingredient in all households. See also how the kitchen and stove looked in most parts of the country the 1950ies…

My revised recipe below is flavored with the wonderful Piperokama, the dried, smoked, hot peppers of Florina that our friend Naoumidis prepares.  I am told that it will be soon available in the US, as are his other deeply flavored roasted peppers which you can order  HERE and also HERE. 

We love to eat fassolàda with feta cheese, but also with canned sardines in olive oil or any smoked fish.

A simple bowl of olives, and/or taramosalata is the custom during the days of Lent, preceding Christmas.

Serves 4-6

2 cups dried white beans, like cannelini, soaked overnight in water and drained, or 4 cups pre-cooked beans

2/3 cup olive oil

2 small onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

4 large garlic cloves, sliced

2 tablespoons (70 grams) tomato paste

3 medium-small carrots, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

One 16-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juice or 2 cups grated ripe tomatoes 

1 tablespoon turmeric

Peel from half an orange, in 2 strips or 2-3 pieces preserved lemon, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

2 teaspoons Piperokama, or Maraş (Aleppo) pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

2 cups coarsely chopped celery, preferably ‘wild’ (see note)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle

Fleur de sel, preferably from Kythera, to sprinkle

1 lemon, quartered, to serve (optional)

Place the beans in a large pot and cover with plenty of water, about 3-4 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Drain, discarding the cooking water. If you use pre-cooked beans omit this step.

In the pot warm the olive oil, add the sliced onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic, sauté one minute more then add the tomato paste and stir a few seconds. Add the peas, if you use them, along with the carrots and the precooked beans. Toss a few times and add the tomatoes, turmeric, orange peel, salt, Maraş pepper, celery, and 2 cups water.

Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, adding water as needed, until the beans are very tender, almost mushy. Add the mustard, taste and adjust the seasoning. Simmer for 5 minutes more, until the beans are just covered with broth.

Remove from the heat and serve, drizzling with extra-virgin olive oil.

Pass the lemon quarters so people can add a fresh, bright squeeze at the table, and also pass Piperokama or Maraş pepper, as well as good Fleur de sel, we use the one from Antheas, so diners can sprinkle more over the beans.

NOTE:

If you use common celery add an extra 1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley with the mustard toward the end of cooking.
The leaf or‘wild’ celery commonly used in Europe is strongly aromatic and looks like oversized flat leaf parsley. You can easily grow it in your garden or in pots. It is very different from American celery, which has long crunchy stalks, and wild celery is never eaten raw.
You can get leaf or ‘wild’ celery in Asian markets under the name kun choi or kin tsai. When you find it, buy it in quantity, wash it, coarsely chop it and keep it in zip-log bags in the freezer to use as needed. Unlike common celery, it does not keep long in the refrigerator.

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Makes 6 servings

1/4        cup olive oil or unsalted butter 

2            cups chopped onions    

3            green bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced      

2–3       hot chiles, seeded and finely chopped   

1 1/2     cups medium-grain rice, such as Arborio

1           pound feta cheese, coarsely crumbled or diced          

1 1/2     cups chopped fresh dill 

4 1/2     cups whole milk

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200 C).  In a large skillet, heat the oil or butter and sauté the onions, bell peppers and chiles until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and sauté for 1 minute more.

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then stir in the feta and dill.

Transfer to a round or oval 2 1/2-quart baking dish and stir in the milk.

Bake, stirring once, for 45 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the milk and is tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The post Albanian Briani: Baked Rice with Milk, Feta, Peppers, and Dill appeared first on Aglaia's Table οn Kea Cyclades.

Lemon zest and plenty of coarsely ground pepper give the dish a lovely kick, while crumbled feta adds a very welcomed tanginess.

This is the more conventional and elegant way to make the dish, besides the One-pot version with Fava, Asparagus, and Spinach that I posted last year.

Serves 3-4

About 1/3 cup (70ml) fruity olive oil, more for drizzling

3 spring onions (scallions) –white, plus most of the green part, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

About 1 ½  pounds fresh fava pods, cut into 2 cm (1-inch) pieces; shack  the larger pods, keeping only the very fresh fava pods whole

2 tablespoons ground coriander seeds

1 cup white wine

Salt, to taste

2 ounces (360 grams) linguine or spaghettini

A good bunch flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped –leaves and tender stems

3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or more, to taste

Zest of  ½- 1 lemon

½-1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, or more, to taste 

Crumbled feta cheese, for serving (optional)

In a deep skillet or sauté pan warm the olive oil over medium-high heat and briefly sauté the scallions and garlic. Add the fava, toss and sauté for 5-8 minutes, stir in the coriander and gradually add the wine and a little water, just half a cup or so, until the fava is almost cooked. If it is tender, like ours it does not take long.

Until this point you may prepare the pasta ‘sauce’ a few hours in advance.

About 20 mnutes from the time you plan to serve, bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta at least 2 minutes less than the recommended ‘al dente’ time.

Keep the skillet with the fava over low heat, and ass soon as the pasta is ready, transfer with tongs to the fava, or drain it, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water before dropping it to the fava, adding the parsley, lemon juice and 1 cup pasta water. Toss over medium heat, adding salt and pepper, along with half the lemon zest. Taste and if you think it needs to cook more, add more pasta water.

Correct the seasoning, drizzle with fruity olive oil and serve at once, sprinkling with the rest of the lemon zest, and crumbled feta, if you like.

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To make it substitute cabbage for the other greens in the recipe for Risotto with Greens.

 Although I think that it tastes best piping hot, it could also be served at room temperature, as my husband likes it too.

Serves 3 as main course; 5-6 as a side dish

About 1/3 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (optional)

4-5 cups shredded cabbage, not too thinly

2 medium carrots, grated

1 ½ tablespoon tomato paste

1 ¼  cups Arborio rice or other good-quality medium grain rice

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

Salt and plenty of Aleppo/Maras pepper flakes, to taste

½ cinnamon stick

About 8 cups very hot vegetable or chicken broth, or water (see NOTE)

 Good olive oil for drizzling

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Diced feta, Grated Parmesan, Grana Padano or aged Graviera (optional)

1 lemon or lime, quartered (optional) .

Warm the olive oil and sauté the onions for about 8 minutes, on medium-low, tossing often. Add the garlic, if using, and toss a few times then add the cabbage and carrots and increase the heat to medium-high. Sauté another 4-6 minutes, until the cabbage is softened and glistening.

Add the tomato paste and toss a few times. Pour in the wine, add salt and pepper flakes, and cook for another cook for a few minutes, until the wine evaporates.

 Add the rice and the cinnamon stick and stir a few times, then pour in 1 cup of hot broth and cook, stirring frequently. Add the cherry tomatoes and continue adding broth by the ladle, as the rice absorbs the liquid, until it is almost cooked, about 15 minutes until the rice is al dente.

Remove from the heat. Add pepper and lemon juice, if you like and fold in the cheese, if you like, or serve the cheese separately.  Ttaste to correct the seasoning, finishing with a drizzle of good olive oil and some finely grated lemon juice and zest, if you like.  

Serve immediately.  

NOTE:

Instead of vegetable broth, soak 1/2 cup dried Porcini mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes.  Chop them finely with scissors and add to the rice with their strained liquid, after the wine has evaporated. Cook the risotto as described, adding boiling water in place of stock as needed. 

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But I wanted to try and make a completely plant based dish, with no cheese at all.

I was intrigued by a vegan pasta with greens and lemon in Food and Wine: It had white miso to add umami, but this ubiquitous Asian component is not part of our everyday ingredients, so I decided to use sliced Kalamata olives, the Mediterranean umami equivalent…

The resulting pasta is truly delicious, even for non-vegans like us!

See also my humble leftover lentil soup and the Lebanese-inspired Linguine with Spicy Lentils and Caramelized Onions. 

Serves 4-5

1/3 cup olive oil

2 cups chopped leeks, white plus light green parts

5 medium garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

4 cups bitter greens (like chicory or dandelion), or a combination of bitter greens and Swiss chard.  All stems separated and thinly chopped; the leaves coarsely chopped

1 ½ cup pitted, sliced Kalamata olives, drained

Zest from 1 lemon or more, to taste

Salt to taste

1 package Penne or other tubular pasta

¼ cup or more lemon juice, to taste

Fruity olive oil to drizzle over the pasta

Aleppo pepper, or freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Heat the oil in a deep, large skillet over medium heat, add the leeks and cook stirring often until soft. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until it is tender and translucent. Do not let it color.

Add the stems of the greens and 3 tablespoons water and cook for a couple of minutes, until tender. Add a little more water, as needed. Once the stems are tender add the leaves and stir a few times, just to wilt them.

Stir in half the lemon zest and the olives. Let them sizzle for a few seconds, then remove from the heat.

Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package instructs. Drain, reserving about 1 cup cooking water.  

Add the pasta to the skillet with the greens and olives, and toss, adding ½ cup of the cooking water and the lemon juice. Drizzle with fruity olive oil and cook, tossing often for 1 minute, adding a bit more water if too dry.. Taste and add pepper and salt –the olives are quite salty— or more lemon, as needed.

Drizzle with more fruity olive oil, toss and serve the pasta sprinkling with Aleppo pepper and more lemon zest if you like.

The post Olive and Greens Pasta with Garlic and Lemon appeared first on Aglaia's Table οn Kea Cyclades.

My recipe is inspired by the soups of Gaziantep, which often combine bulgur and/or chickpeas with the lentils.

Photo by PENNY DE LOS SANTOS  from my Mediterranean Vegetarian Feasts.     

The pulses in Turkey are usually cooked with lamb or beef bones to add body, and the soup is finished with aromatic-infused butter, though olive oil is an excellent alternative.

Vegetarians can make the soup more substantial by adding diced feta, as Costas and I do, or complement with grilled halloumi cheese.

Serves 6 to 8 

1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil, plus 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup (160 g) chopped onions

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (220 g) red lentils rinsed in a colander under running water

2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

1 cup (160 g) precooked wheat berries (see Note)

1/2 cup (100 g) precooked chickpeas (optional)

1 tablespoon turmeric

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 to 2 teaspoons Maraş pepper or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons combination of cumin, ground coriander, and dried basil, to taste

1/4 cup (15 g) chopped fresh basil leaves, or shredded fresh tarragon plus 1 teaspoon or more dried basil or tarragon; reserve extra leaves to decorate

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Sumac, for sprinkling (optional)

In a thick-bottomed pot, warm 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil, add the onions, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, and sauté for about 6 minutes, until the onions are soft.

Add the lentils and carrots, turn a couple of times in the oil, and pour in 2 quarts (2 L) water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding more water as needed to keep the lentils covered.

Add the wheat berries, the chickpeas, if using, the turmeric, the tomato paste, the Maraş pepper, and the spice blend. Stir to incorporate and add more water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, simmering for at least 20 minutes, until all the ingredients are very soft. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Purée the soup to a thick, chunky consistency with a stick blender, or transfer to a food processor and pulse several times.

In a skillet, over very low heat, warm the extra-virgin olive oil with the fresh and dried basil or tarragon  and plenty of pepper.

Serve the soup in bowls, adding swirls of the basil or tarragon-infused oil, decorating with herb leaves, and sprinklings of sumac, if you like. Also, add 1-2 tablespoons diced feta cheese, if you like.

NOTE: 

Precooking Pearl Barley, Wheat Berries, and Farro

Pearl barley, wheat berries, and farro need longer cooking than rice or bulgur, but their incomparable earthy, nutty flavor is ample compensation for the extra work. In order to be able to add the grains to stuffing and pilafs whenever you feel like it, precook 1 to 2 pounds (455 to 910 g) of your favorite grains and keep them in the freezer.

Makes 2 1/2 to 3 cups (400 to 480 g) cooked grains

1 cup pearl barley, wheat berries, or farro

Place the grains in a pot and add cold water to cover by 2 inches (5 cm). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer half the time recommended on the package. Cooking times vary greatly between brands, so carefully check the cooking times suggested on the package.

Taste, and if the grains are still quite hard, continue cooking. Taste again after 10 minutes. You want the grains al dente, not mushy. Drain and let cool completely, then transfer to a zip-top bag and freeze flat. They will keep for up to 6 months.

To finish cooking, take out the bag, beat on the counter to loosen the grains, and use as many as you need. Close the bag and return to the freezer.

The post Red Lentil Soup with Grains and Spicy Aromatic Oil appeared first on Aglaia's Table οn Kea Cyclades.

The cooking is a variation of my usual risotto with leafy greens, but on this occasion I prefer to cook the grains with a more substantial green, like kale or cabbage. 

A few years back we managed to grow some Russian, as well as Tuscan Kale in the garden; but unfortunately we have not been able to grow these wonderful greens again, so I use cabbage for my hearty grain risotto.

See also Kapuska: Cabbage with Ground Meat and Cabbage.

Serves 4-6

1/3 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Salt to taste

2 cups dry white wine

1 pound green or red kale or cabbage: Separate, and thinly slice the stems, and coarsely shred the leaves

1 tablespoon turmeric

3 teaspoons Maras or Aleppo pepper flakes

2 cups pre-cooked pearl barley, farro, wheat berries (see NOTE) OR 1  1/2 cup farro or barley plus 1/2 cup Basmati rice, soaked in water for 3 minutes and drained

1  1/2 cups vegetable broth or water

1/4 cup lemon juice, or mote to taste

2-3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Fruity olive oil for drizzling

Crumbled feta, or thick yogurt, for serving

In a sauté pan warm the olive oil and cook the onions and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring, until they start to soften. Add salt to taste and 1 cup of the wine to the pan, toss and add the kale or cabbage stems. Toss, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the the kale or cabbage leaves to the pan, toss, cover and let the leaves wilt for 5 minutes. Uncover, add the rest of the wine, the pepper as well as the Basmati rice, if using, and toss, then add 1  1/2 cups warm broth or water, and  the pearl barley or  farro; toss, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the grains are fully cooked. If need be add a bit more broth or water.

Uncover, toss, and add the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve in bowls sprinkling with parsley and drizzling with fruity olive oil.

Serve the feta or the yogurt on the side.

NOTE: I always have in my freezer half-cooked grains, as well as chickpeas and beans.

Add one pound pearl barley, farro or wheat berries in a pot, and cover with water that should come about 4-inches above the grains. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 10-20 minutes, or until the grains are almost tender but still hold their shape.

Drain and let cool completely in the colander, then transfer to a zip-log bag and store in the freezer.

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In Crete chickpeas are commonly flavored with bitter (Seville) orange, while in most other islands lemon is used. I think orange peel is a wonderful substitute for the bitter orange, along with some lemon juice. This simple chickpea dish, like the one without squash, should be made with the best quality, preferably organic dried chickpeas, not the canned ones. Their flavor is so much more interesting. 

I add mustard, something I learned from my mother who claimed that it made all pulses more digestible. I’m not sure it does, but it certainly deepens the flavor of the beans and chickpeas.

I start describing the long, old fashioned oven-cooked method, and then I add my way of making the dish fast, with pre-cooked, frozen chickpeas without losing its original flavor and texture –by the way I, as most Greeks, like the chickpeas meltingly tender, somewhat mushy, not chewy.

I developed this recipe for EATING WELL magazine; part of a piece about the healthy Cooking of Crete (March 2020).

Serves 6-8

         2 cups dried chickpeas, preferably organic (see NOTE 2)

        1 teaspoon baking soda (optional)            

       1 ½ teaspoons Salt, or to taste       

       1/3  cup olive oil          

       2 1/2  cups coarsely chopped onions        

       2-5  teaspoons Aleppo or Maras pepper, or Hot Red           Pepper Flakes to taste

      1  1/2 cups vegetable or Chicken Stock or more, as needed

         2 pieces fresh or dried orange peel (about 4-5 inches)

          1 cup coarsely chopped celery, preferably Mediterranean             leaf-celery

            About 2 pound butternut squash—peeled, seeded and               diced into 1-inch pieces

       2  tablespoons Dijon mustard

      3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

       Extra virgin olive oil, preferably Greek, for drizzling

       Freshly ground black pepper

Soak the chickpeas overnight in plenty of water. Drain and rinse well under running water.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200 C).

The traditional METHOD:

 In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda if you like, and toss well.

In a medium flameproof casserole or Dutch oven, heat the oil and sauté the onions over medium heat for 4 minutes, or until they start to soften. Stir in the chickpeas, salt, and Aleppo pepper or pepper flakes, then add the stock or water, the orange peel and celery. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat, and cover the dish with a double layer of aluminum foil and then the lid.

Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F place the casserole in the oven and cook for about 5 hours, or until the chickpeas are quite tender. Mix the mustard with the chickpeas together with the squash pieces, toss and continue baking for another 30minutes, or until the squash is tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt, more lemon juice, and black pepper to taste.

Drizzle with olive oil and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

With Pre-cooked Chickpeas

In a sauté pan or casserole heat the oil and sauté the onions over medium heat for 4 minutes, or until they start to soften. Stir in 6 cups pre-cooked chickpeas (see NOTE below), salt, and Aleppo pepper or pepper flakes, toss a few times, then add the stock or water, the orange peel and celery. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to its minimum and simmer for 15 minutes.

Mix the mustard with the chickpeas together with the squash pieces, toss, and continue simmering for another 12-15 minutes, or until the squash is tender and the chickpeas start to get mushy.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt, more lemon juice, and black pepper to taste.

Drizzle with olive oil and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

NOTE:    Pre-cooking Chickpeas

For 6-8 people:

2 cups (1 pound) dried Chickpeas yields about 6 cups cooked

1 or 2 pounds dried Chickpeas, preferably organic

2-4 Salt

1 teaspoon baking soda (optional)

Place 1 or 2 pounds Chickpeas in a large bowl, covering them with water by about 4 inches.  Let soak overnight, for 8-12 hours.

The next morning rinse the chickpeas under cold water, place in a large pot and add water to cover by about 4 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, adding salt (2 teaspoons for 1 pound chickpeas, and 4 for 2 pounds) bring to a slow boil and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until the beans start to soften. Taste after 10 minutes – if they are still very hard, add the baking soda and cook 15 minutes more. Taste: the chickpeas should be almost soft, but not entirely cooked. Turn off the heat and let them cool in their broth.

Drain, let cool, then transfer to a Ziploc bag and freeze flat. They will keep for up to 6 months.

To cook, take out the bag, beat on the counter to loosen the beans, and use as much as you need. Close the bag and return to the freezer.

NOTE 2. Buy best quality Large, small or medium chickpeas

Try to get the best quality, freshest organic dried chickpeas. I prefer medium, but no matter the size, what is important is that they have not been sitting in the shelve for more than a few months. I have had chickpeas that cooked in just 15 minutes, and others, even with the addition of baking soda that helps them soften, needed more than an hour’s cooking to become edible, and never reached the meltingly tender texture that I love.

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To imitate the xynohondros flavor I suggest you serve the pilaf with dollops of yogurt and/or crumbled feta.

I developed this recipe for EATING WELL magazine; 

part of a piece about the healthy Cooking of Crete (March 2020).

Makes 4 servings  

1/2      cup olive oil, plus more for the eggplant

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 green bell pepper seeded, quartered and cut in ¼ inch strips

1 1/2 cups coarse bulgur (see NOTE 1)

½ cup white wine

3          cups chopped ripe tomatoes, or best quality canned plum tomatoes with their juice (see NOTE 2)

Salt to taste

2          teaspoons Aleppo pepper or a good pinch red pepper flakes         

About 1 1/2 cups water or Vegetable Stock, as needed

1           medium round eggplant (2/3 – 1 pound) cut into 1-inch cubes

1            teaspoon salt          

1             cup crumbled feta cheese, or thick yogurt for serving

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the onions over medium-high heat for 2 minutes; toss, then reduce the heat to very low, cover the pan and cook for another 6-8 minutes, or until very soft. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the bulgur and the pepper and sauté, stirring for 3 minutes, until well coated with oil. Add the wine, toss and pour the tomatoes into the pan. Cook for 3 minutes on high heat, add 2 cups of water or stock and 1 teaspoon salt, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 6 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the diced eggplant in a bowl and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, then drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil.

Spread on the baking sheet and bake in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden, and somewhat shrunk.

Taste the bulgur and add a little more water or stock if needed, cook for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the heat, stir in the eggplants, and half the mint, taste, and adjust the seasonings. Let stand, covered for 3 minutes.

Serve sprinkling with the rest of the mint, and drizzling with olive oil, and dollops of yogurt and/or feta on the side, if you like.

Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

NOTE 1: I often like to toast bulgur in a dry pan for a few minutes, until fragrant and starting to color, before making my bulgur pilafs. Transfer toasted bulgur to a bowl and et the pan cool somewhat before you sauté the onions.

NOTE 2: Tomatoes in this dish are not just a broth or sauce, but one of the vegetables that give it texture as well as flavor. We dice the ripe tomatoes without seeding or peeling them. If you use canned tomatoes choose THE best, and consider adding just 2 ½ cups, boosting the flavor with 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, which are usually good all year-round.  

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You can achieve a similar effect with the dried commercial pasta (see Note).

Scroll down for the variation, based on the NYT Roman version of the Pasta with Chickpeas with rosemary and tomatoes, instead of lemon.

Serves 4 

1 cup chickpeas, soaked in water overnight, or 3 cups pre-cooked, frozen chickpeas

1/2 cup olive oil

1 pound homemade fettucine, or any commercial dried pasta –linguini, spaghetti etc.

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1-3 dried pepperoncini, or good pinches Aleppo or Maras pepper, to taste

Sea salt

1 cup vegetable or chicken broth or more, as needed

2 bay leaves

3 tablespoons or more freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste

Plenty of freshly ground black pepper

Flat leaf parsley to sprinkle

Fruity olive Oil to drizzle

If using dried chickpeas, drain and cook in plenty of water, over low heat, for an hour or, until tender.  Drain the chickpeas, but reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

If you like, and you are using homemade pasta warm the olive oil in a large heavy skillet, and fry about a quarter of the fresh pasta, until crisp.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. 

If you are using dried commercial pasta skip this or see Note. 

In the same olive oil, sauté the garlic and chilies for less than a minute, without letting the garlic color.  Add the cooked chickpeas sprinkle with salt to taste, and sauté 2 -3 minutes more.  Pour in 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, or broth, add the bay leaves, and cook for another 5 minutes or more, until chickpeas are tender, adding more broth as needed.

 Stir in the lemon juice, taste and adjust the seasoning with freshly ground pepper and more lemon juice, or salt, if you like.

You can prepare the dish a few hours in advance up to this point.

About 20 minutes before serving, boil the pasta al dente, following the package instructions, drain it, and add it to the simmering chickpeas. Crumble the fried pasta, add to the skillet, toss and adjust the seasoning.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve, drizzling each plate with fruity olive oil.

NOTE:  If you are using commercial dried pasta, boil a handful for 4 to 5 minutes, until it starts to soften.  Drain well on paper towels and then fry it in olive oil until crisp.

VARIATION:

Pasta with Chickpeas with Tomatoes, Rosemary, and Chicory

Adapted from the NYT recipe, by Colu Henry

Sautee one coarsely chopped onion and the garlic, then add 2-3 fresh, diced tomatoes and 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary with the chickpeas; cook until tender, then add 1 cup ditalini pasta into the broth.  After 5-6 minutes, add 2-3 cups coarsely shredded kale, or radicchio. Toss and cook until pasta is done. 

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