Pasta with Fresh Chickpeas and Basil Sauce

Fresh chickpeas have a familiar flavor, but taste "beanier" than canned or dried chickpeas.  They also keep their green color when cooked, making this pasta with basil sauce particularly beautiful.  This is a quick recipe perfect for a weeknight dinner, but the chickpeas and basil sauce still provide plenty of flavor.

Pasta with Fresh Chickpeas and Basil Sauce
serves 2 as entree portion

Ingredients

Basil Sauce

4                           garlic cloves
1/2       tsp            sea salt
4          cups          fresh basil leaves
6          Tbs           olive oil


Pasta with Fresh Chickpeas

12         oz              dried penne pasta
1 -2       oz              freshly grated parmesan cheese
2           cups           fresh chickpeas, removed from pods


Procedure

Sauce

1. Puree basil, salt and garlic in food processor.  Slowly add olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Pasta

1. Boil big pot of water, add 1 Tbs sea salt.  Blanche chickpeas until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.  Drain and set aside.
2. Cook pasta in salted boiling water.  Drain.
3. Immediately combine pasta with basil sauce and chickpeas.  Combine well, then add 1 1/2 oz cheese and mix again.
4. Serve warm topped with more grated cheese.

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