Spaghetti Alla Ceci (Spaghetti With Chickpeas) - Rachael Ray

On "30 Minute Meals" Rachael served this fast and easy dish up with a wonderful Warm Chopped Chicken Picatta Spinach Salad.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  lb spaghetti
•  salt
• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 3 -4  garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (14 ounce) can garbanzo beans or 1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1⁄4 cup hot water, starchy water from the cooking pasta
• 1⁄2 cup  unsalted chicken stock or 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
• 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
•  flat leaf parsley, chopped
•  freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, as garnish and to pass at table

Directions

1. In a large pot, boil the water for pasta, salt it, and cook spaghetti according to package directions to al dente.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add extra-virgin olive oil (3 Tbsp, which she describes as "3 turns of the pan") crushed red pepper flakes, and garlic.
3. Drain the canned garbanzo beans, then put them in the food processor and pulse-grind them to a fine chop.
4. Add chopped garbanzos to the pan and season with thyme, salt, and pepper then sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Add starchy water from the cooking pasta and broth (or wine) and cook down for about 30 seconds, then stir in the crushed tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are heated through, then adjust seasoning to taste.
6. Drain pasta (do not rinse), and pour onto serving dish. Top with the sauce and toss with tongs. (Or you can add the drained pasta to the pan and toss with the sauce, then pour onto serving dish.) Top with parsley and some of the grated Parmiginao Reggiano cheese.
7. Serve with remaining grated Parmiginao Reggiano and enjoy!
8. Note: using about 1/4 cup minced shallots in this, and 1 to 2 cloves garlic (to taste), would be nice, too.
9. Note #2: oh my, well! To the reviewer who said the following, please remember that this is someone else's recipe and not mine and that regardless of your objections it is still delicious. At no point does it claim to be authentic. " -- pasta e ceci does not use spaghetti! you use mixed broken pasta. It doesn't ever have tomatoes in it or wine, stock or thyme! This is a traditional southern Italian dish & for us this is quite offensive! You need to use a bunch of parsley you make the sauce using tap water making it very soupy then you add the raw pasta & cook it in the sauce adding more water if needed. This will give you the starch you need to thicken the sauce & make the pasta taste of the sauce. to make it in the manner described in the recipe is like putting jam on a hotdog!" In any case, I hope folks will try the recipe and decide for themselves whether or not they like it. :).