Orecchiette Pasta, Chickpeas, and Cherry Tomatoes

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings: people

Ready in just 20 minutes, this creamy orecchiette with chickpeas and cherry tomatoes is the kind of dish that makes weeknight cooking feel effortless and delicious.

Ingredients

1 pound orecchiette pasta
16 ounces cherry tomatoes medley, sliced in half
1 garlic clove, peeled and core end removed
16 ounces chickpeas, drained
3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt , to taste

US - Metric

Instructions

Wash the tomatoes and slice them in half
Bring a large pot of salted water to a trepid boil, add the chickpeas and wait for the water to come to full boil. Remove the chickpeas with the help of a strainer or slotted spoon and set aside. Bring the water back to a full boil and cook the orecchiette to al dente. Follow manufacturer cooking instructions for timing.
Puree ½ of the chickpeas with the fresh basil leaves and a ladle of the pasta cooking water. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt to taste.
In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high with the garlic clove. Add the sliced tomatoes and cook for less than a minute, being careful not to let them go soft.
Reserve a large cup of cooking water and drain the orecchiette pasta. Toss the pasta with the tomatoes, creamed chickpeas, and whole chickpeas for about a minute while mixing them. If the skillet starts to dry out, add cooking water.
Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Equipment

Notes

Always save a cup of the cooking water before draining your pasta. The water contains the pasta starch and is fantastic to add to your sauce to thin it out.
Rinse the chickpeas well with fresh, cold water.
Ensure that the tomatoes are all the same size for even cooking.

Nutrition

Giangi's Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.