For me, coming from a largely Italian family, pasta to my meal planning is like beef to a cattle rancher’s. For better or worse, my husband and I cook pasta at least two nights a week. If he cooks, it usually means spaghetti with some sort of red sauce; but if I’m manning the pasta pot, I like to cram as many veggies as I can in there, then dump the noodles on top and finish it with some salt, pepper and grated Parmesan to keep things light and fresh.
This week, I used the rest of our cherry tomatoes, some Broccolini and a can of chickpeas, but other nights there are mushrooms added to the mix, grape tomatoes instead of cherry, spinach instead of Broccolini, rigatoni instead of penne and sometimes a half cup of ricotta instead of Parmesan. No matter what you use, though, the best part is how quick it comes together, making it the perfect end to a manic Monday.
Penne with Chickpeas, Broccolini and Cherry Tomatoes
4 to 6 servings
1 lb. penne pasta
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
5 garlic cloves, minced, divided
8 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ cup fresh sage, thinly sliced
8 oz. Broccolini, cut into 1-inch pieces
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup (about 3 oz.) freshly grated Parmesan
• Cook the penne in a large pot of heavily salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water.
• While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Heat the other tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium heat.
• Add 2 cloves of minced garlic to the small pan, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Saute until the tomatoes start to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Add 2 cloves of minced garlic to the large pan, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas, and saute until they begin to color, about 6 minutes. Add ½ of the fresh sage and saute for 1 more minute. Add the Broccolini, wine and reserved pasta water. Cover and simmer until Broccolini is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
• Return the drained pasta to the pot and add the contents of both pans, then add the Parmesan. Stir to combine and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Right before serving, add the remaining fresh sage as garnish.
This article appears in February 2013.