I am sure you know by now the reason this particular recipe caught my eye. Yes, the word lemon in the title gets me every time. 

As I read through the ingredients, I became intrigued with the use of mashed chickpeas in a pasta dish. Chickpeas, lemon and pasta -hmm-I definitely wanted to give it a try. I really wasn’t surprised how well these ingredients blended with each other. It was more than just good; it was wonderful!  The author gives you the option of starting out with dried chickpeas, soaking them and cooking them. I made it easy, for myself and used canned chickpeas. I am sure it was just as enjoyable.

This delicious side dish is so easy to prepare. I know there are a lot of ingredients, but once you measure them out, it comes together quickly. It is not as lemony as you would think, and has the perfect blend of flavors.  The pasta, when combined with the butter, cheese and chickpeas, is perfection at its best. The result is a light, flavorful dish you will love. Make this recipe soon; you won’t regret it!

This recipe is courtesy of New York Times/Cooking. It says it will serve 2 people, but I think it will serve 3-4 people who will enjoy this wonderful combination of ingredients.

Ingredients for Lemony Pasta

Kosher salt, as needed
8 ounces regular or whole-wheat fusilli 
or other short sturdy pasta
2 cups cooked chickpeas, homemade or canned, rinsed and drained (save the liquid)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1/2 onion, diced
1 tbsp. finely chopped rosemary leaves
Pinch of chili flakes, plus more if needed
1 1/2 cups chickpea liquid or pasta water
3 cups fresh parsley leaves ( I used half)
2/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon (I used the juice as well)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is just shy of al dente (it should be slightly underdone because it will finish cooking in the sauce).

Save 1 1/2 cups of pasta water. Drain the rest. 

While pasta is cooking, prepare the chickpea sauce: Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and use a potato masher or a fork to lightly mash them; they should be about half crushed.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch deep skillet over medium heat. (Use a deeper skillet than I did! It will be much easier!)

Add the garlic cloves and fry until they are golden brown (this happens very quickly so watch carefully), about 1- 2 minutes.

Stir in the onion, rosemary, chile flakes, and a pinch of salt.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the chickpeas and the cooking liquid (you can use either the chickpea liquid or the pasta water).

Bring to a simmer and cook gently until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the pasta and the parsley, and cook until the pasta has finished cooking and is coated in the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.

Quickly toss in the cheese, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice (if using), black pepper to taste, and salt if needed.

Drizzle with olive oil and shower with additional cheese before serving.

It’s that simple!