Pasta With Currants and Pine Nuts

Submitted by Latchy

"In answer to a question in the threads. Something different for Pasta. This is a good Middle Eastern throw on pasta. I think it came from a Women Weekly book."

 

• Ready In: 27mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 medium onions, chopped finely
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 (310 g) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 250 g cherry tomatoes
• 50 g dried currants
• 1⁄3 cup olive oil, extra
• 500 g penne pasta
• 59 g pine nuts, toasted
• 1⁄4 cup fresh basil leaf, shredded

directions

1. Heat oil in pan, add garlic and onions, cook stirring until onions are soft.
2. Add spices, cook stirring until fragrant.
3. Add chickpeas tomatoes, currants and extra olive oil stir until combined and heated through.
4. Add pasta to large pan boiling water, boil, uncovered until just tender, drain.
5. Combine chickpea mixture and pasta in bowl sprinkle with nuts and basil.

Reviews

[Umm Amani]

I liked this recipe for pasta. It was different from the usual tomato based pasta sauce. I also made mine without the currants and with less pasta (only 400g). I also added 1/2 tsp of chilli powder to spice it up a bit. But I think next time I would probably leave that out as it was a bit too spicy. I was also surprised not to see any salt in the recipe. I cooked it without any salt but we had to add it at the table - it needed the salt to bring out its flavours. I loved the roasted pine nuts!!! Will cook it again.

 

[Lizzie-Babette]

Very exotic-tasting pasta! Made this as directed, with one small exception. I put in half the amount of currants called for, and ended up picking them out, because I didn't care for the taste in this dish. However, the spice mix, and addition of chickpeas, basil, and pine nuts was perfect. I liked this a lot, and will be making it again, sans currants! Delicious!