Spaghetti with Chickpeas

How to prepare spaghetti with chickpeas

1. For the sauce: in a large pan (about 30cm) heat the oil and add the crushed garlic, finely chopped anchovies and chili. Saute briefly until the garlic smells nice and the anchovy dissolves in the oil (about 30-60 seconds). Add the bay leaf broken in half, rosemary and cooked chickpeas. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes until the chickpeas are hot. Add the chickpea cooking water and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the rosemary and bay leaf from the pan.
   
2. Blend the entire contents of the pan in a food processor/blender until you have a fine and fairly soft puree, like a cream.
   
3. Bring salted water to boil for the pasta. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions.
   
4. For the pan-fried chickpeas: wipe the pan in which you prepared the sauce and heat the oil. Add the crushed garlic, finely chopped anchovies and chili. Saute briefly until the garlic smells nice and the anchovy dissolves in the oil (about 30-60 seconds). Add the cooked chickpeas and saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle salt and black pepper while sauteing.
   
5. Remove the pan from heat and add the lemon zest and juice. Mix and taste for salt and lemon zest. Transfer the contents to a bowl.
7. The pasta should be cooked by now. Drain, reserving 75ml of the cooking water.
   
8. Add the pasta to the pan where you sauteed the chickpeas. Pour the chickpea sauce on top and the reserved pasta water. Stir over medium heat just until the pasta is coated with a light sauce (about 2 minutes).
9. Put the pasta on the serving platter and sprinkle the pan-fried chickpeas on top. Sprinkle some herbs if you have them (parsley, mint chopped). I decorated mine with a few sliced olives tossed in grated parmesan.
   

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