Gigli with Chickpeas & Za'atar
Ottolenghi's recipe for pasta with chickpeas, spinach and za'atar.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 10 grams thyme leaves, finely chopped 1/2 cup
- 7 anchovy filets drained and finely chopped
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- salt and black pepper
- 2 cans 15.5 oz/480 g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 7 ounces gigli pasta
- 100 grams baby spinach leaves
- 3/4 cup chopped parsley (15 grams)
- 1 1/2 tsp za'atar
- 1 small can diced tomatoes (optional)
Instructions
- Place large saute pan over high heat, All olive oil, then onion, garlic, cumin, thyme, anchovies and lemon peel, 1/2 tsp salt and a good grind of pepper. Fry, stirring often till soft and golden. Decrease heat to med-high, add chickpeas and sugar and fry , stirring occasionally, till chickpeas begin to brown and crisp up. Add chicken stock and lemon juice and simmer 6 mins, till sauce slightly reduced. Remove from heat and hold. (Can make ahead) If you are going to add tomatoes, I would do so along with chicken stock and lemon juice.
- Boil large pot salted water. Cook pasta for 8 mins till al dente, Drain and set aside. (Save some pasta water if the sauce has gotten too thick, you can thin it a bit.)
- Stir spinach and parsley into chickpeas, warming it to wilt the spinach if needed. Add pasta to the chickpeas and stir to combine. Divide among 4 plates and srpinkle za'atar atop. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.
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