200 g chickpeas (I use the canned pre-cooked ones because it is quicker ;-) 100 g cherry tomatoes 1 chilli pepper (medium hot) 200 g Pasta Monograno (mezze maniche, penne, conchiglie, rigatoni or similar) 1 half an onion 1 glass of white wine Extra virgin olive oil BalijaSalt Pepper Grated Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese
Preparation of the chickpea pasta a la Balija
1. The sauce for the chickpea pasta
We need a large pan for the sauce. Here first a shot of the olive oil is heated and then the diced onions are fried with the finely chopped chilli.
Let it simmer until the onion is translucent.
Now add the halved tomatoes and let it cook on a low flame. Season with salt and pepper.
After 5-8 minutes, when the tomatoes are softening, add the chickpeas and a glass of wine. Let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce is reduced.
2. The noodles for the chickpea pasta
While the sauce is boiling, put the noodles in a large pot with boiling salted water.
As soon as the pasta is al dente, the sauce and pasta are mixed together. Let them simmer together for a minute so that the pasta can absorb the sauce well.
Now taste the pasta again and add a little salt, pepper or chilli if necessary.
3. The special note for the chickpea pasta
Now comes the special note: Serve the pasta with an extra splash of Balija extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle some freshly grated Parmiggiano cheese over the plate.
By the way, if you want to know exactly why pasta has to be al dente , you can find out some information in the following article .
Nicoletta Balija wishes
Bon Enjoy your meal!
Olive oil princess from Istria
Nicoletta is known in Istria as the olive oil princess and is one of the most famous olive oil producers in Istria. Four types of olives grow on 3 hectares of land, including Buža, Istarska bjelica, Crnica and Leccino.