Preparation

• Prepare the chickpeas following the procedure described in cooking chickpeas | basic recipe or, if you already have them ready in the freezer, thaw them.

  Alternatively, you can use packaged pre-cooked chickpeas.
  Remember to rinse them well under running water: canned legumes often contain additives, salt and sometimes sugar.
  Among packaging types, glass containers are preferable to metal cans as they are less prone to deterioration.

  

• Pour the chickpeas into a saucepan, add 7/8 cup of water and bring to a boil.
  Let simmer with a lid, preferably glass, stirring occasionally.
  If the chickpeas are soft a few minutes are enough; if they are firm, at least 10 minutes.

  Depending on the chickpeas’ texture, you will get a more or less creamy soup.
  If desired, puree a portion.
  Alternatively, mash some of the chickpeas with a fork and mix.

  Adjust salt to taste.

• In another pot cook the pasta al dente, drain it and rinse quickly under running water.
  For brothy first courses, to avoid glycemic spikes, it is advisable to cook the pasta separately, then rinse it and add it to the brothy sauce prepared separately; this way the starch released by the pasta into the cooking water is removed.

  Meanwhile, bring the chickpeas back to a boil.

  The creamier the chickpeas are, the more they thicken as they cool.
  If needed, add water as required and bring back to a boil.
  Stir until you reach the desired consistency again.

  Add the pasta and stir.

  Serve in the simplest version or in tasty variations scented with spices and aromatic herbs: red chili, rosemary, sage or thyme.

  Plate.
  Grind the pepper and drizzle with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

  Your creamy pasta and chickpeas is ready.

  Enjoy your meal!

  

• Pasta and chickpeas is a complete dish; add your portion of vegetables to compose a balanced meal or one-dish meal that helps keep blood sugar stable.