While we are familiar with such classics as pasta e fagioli (a soup of white beans and pasta) and kasha varnishkes (bow-tie noodles with kasha), the full range of possibilities for combining pasta with beans or grains represent unexplored territory for most of us.
In different cuisines we find many bean-and-grain matches but few pasta-and-bean or pasta-and-grain partnerships. And yet what better way to introduce grain- and bean-shy diners to their delectable qualities than to combine them with an old friend like pasta?
Even if you can accept the notion of beans with pasta, you might not be as sanguine about grains. After all, pasta is made from grain (wheat), so why combine one grain with another? You’ll discover the answer when you experience, for example, the nutty crunch of quinoa, melded with seasonings and blended with pasta.
Anyone interested in concentrating on the base of the food pyramid—in eating healthily, in other words—or in eating cheaply, or in taking a culinary adventure will be surprised and delighted by these new pasta recipes, which make the most of the richness and complexity of grains and beans.
When it comes to Monday-to-Friday cooking, any beans you choose have to be ready to heat up at a moment’s notice. There’s no time for soaking and cooking dried beans for 2 hours before you get down to the business of making dinner. This means relying on canned beans or, if you’re a purist, on beans that you have cooked on the weekend and stored in the fridge or the freezer.
If you decide on canned beans, your best bet is the health- food-store variety because they taste less salty, their flavor is fresher, and their texture is firmer. You can also find a range of canned beans in a health food store that you can’t in an ordinary supermarket: tiny plum-hued adzuki beans, fava beans, oval navy beans. When you open these cans, don’t be startled by the black flecks of what look like debris; these are pieces of seaweed used as seasoning.
There are three basic ways of combining beans and pasta. The first is the stew method: You cook some seasoning vegetables such as onions and carrots, then add the beans, pasta, and enough liquid to season and simmer the beans and soften the pasta. For these types of stews, I prefer small or medium-size short shapes such as elbow macaroni, small shells, or orzo. The second way is to create a separate bean sauce and toss it over the cooked pasta. The third way is to add beans to pasta in cold salads.
Because dried lentils take less time to cook than dried beans, they are a distinct Monday-to-Friday possibility. With a simple sauce, dinner can be ready in 35 or 40 minutes.
The least expensive and most commonly available lentil in this country is the brown lentil. True, it tends to lose its shape when cooked, but I think its comforting quality and sturdy flavor are real assets to pasta.
In some gourmet stores you can find a French variety of dried green lentil ([lentitles du Puy). When cooked, these lentils are firmer than the standard brown ones, which makes them a good choice for pasta salads. They are more expensive, however.
Also available in some gourmet and health food stores is the red lentil. While it cooks in half the time of the other lentils, it isn’t ideal because it does not have the same earthy flavor.
Some grains complement the flavor and texture of pasta, I have discovered, and others do not.
The grains I do like with pasta are those that take no longer than 15 minutes to cook and add a distinctive flavor or texture. These include buckwheat groats (kasha), millet, quinoa, cracked wheat, and wild rice (a grass really, not a grain). Wild rice is not exactly a staple in my household, but pairing it with pasta is one way of getting the most out of this expensive ingredient, and its texture and color are very pleasing with pasta.
PASTA: Thin strands or ribbons
MAKES: 6 servings
TIME: 25 minutes
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This is a perfect dish for vegetarians: It’s very filling and very fast to prepare. If you wish, serve a side dish of sautéed mushrooms and peppers or steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
Salt
1 pound spaghettini or linguine fine
24 medium-size fresh basil leaves
6 cloves garlic
12 sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil), drained
4 cups cooked red kidney beans, or 2 cans (16 ounces each) red kidney beans, drained
½ cup olive oil
1 cup water or chicken broth
Freshly ground black pepper or dried red pepper flakes
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cut the basil leaves into fine shreds. In a food processor, mince the garlic with the sun-dried tomatoes; set aside. If you are using canned beans, rinse and drain them. Chop the beans.
3. Heat the olive oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, and cook until you can smell the aroma of the garlic, about 10 seconds. Add the beans and water, and simmer until the beans are heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the basil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper or red pepper flakes. Keep warm, covered, off the heat, until the pasta is ready.
4. Drain the pasta and divide it among six shallow bowls. Top each portion with some of the bean sauce, and serve immediately. Pass the cheese separately.
Mix in either 2 cups sliced steamed carrots or ½ cup finely shredded prosciutto after you add the garlic in step 3.
SECOND TIME AROUND
Add chicken broth or tomato juice to the leftovers and turn them into soup. To thicken and flavor it, stir in diced mozzarella or grated Parmesan cheese at the end.
PASTA: Medium-size flat shapes or small tubes
MAKES: 6 servings
TIME: 30 minutes
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I love a bowl of kasha with noodles, made my grandmother’s way—cooked with onions and served with sour cream. But I have discovered that the earthy taste of kasha also works with curry and apple (see the variations that follow).
When you’re serving this as the main course, precede it with a cabbage salad.
Salt
1 medium-size onion
1 cup medium-grind kasha (roasted buckwheat groats)
1 egg, beaten
1¾ cups chicken or beef broth or water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups bow-tie (farfelle) noodles or elbow macaroni
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream (optional)
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, peel and mince the onion. Mix the kasha with the egg in a small bowl until the grains are thoroughly coated.
3. Heat the oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until they are coated with the oil. Cover the skillet and cook the onions over low heat until they are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. While the onions are cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Bring the broth to a boil in a microwave or in a small saucepan. Then, set it aside.
5. When the onions are tender, add the sugar and vinegar, and then stir in the egg-coated kasha. Sauté over low heat until the kasha smells toasty and begins to stick to the skillet, about 3 minutes. Add the hot broth and bring the liquid to a boil. Stir, cover, and simmer over low heat until the kasha is just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir again, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm, covered, off the heat, until the pasta is ready.
6. When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot, off the heat. Add the kasha mixture, toss thoroughly, and serve immediately. Top each portion with sour cream, if you wish.
Cholesterol-Free Kasha: Use only 1 tablespoon oil, and omit the sour cream. In step 2, mix the kasha with just the egg white instead of the whole egg. (In this version the kasha will taste good but the texture will be softer than when it’s cooked with whole egg.)
Apple and Curry Kasha: In step 2, peel, core, and mince 1 red apple. Sauté the apple with the onion in step 3 and stir in ½ teaspoon curry powder. Serve with sour cream or plain nonfat yogurt.
PASTA: Thin strands
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 35 to 40 minutes
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Earthy as well as easy to make, these subtly seasoned lentils evoke the flavors of the Middle East. You might want to make a double batch and save half for later in the week, when you can turn it into a soup. I like to serve grated or steamed parsnips or carrots with this pasta-and-lentil dish.
1 clove garlic
1 quarter-size slice of fresh ginger, or ¼ teaspoon ground dried ginger
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon wine vinegar (white or red), if needed
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup lentils
2 cups chicken broth or water
Salt
1 pound spaghettini
1 cup (firmly packed) fresh mint leaves
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil or butter, (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Peel and finely chop the onions. Peel and mince the garlic and fresh ginger.
2. Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and fresh ginger, if you are using it, and sauté until you can smell the aroma of the garlic, about 30 seconds. (If any of this begins to stick to the pan, add the vinegar and continue to sauté.)
3. Stir in the coriander, cumin, and dried ginger, if you are using it, then the lentils and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes.
4. While the lentils are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. While this is cooking, rinse, pat dry, and mince the mint leaves.
5. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, off the heat. If you wish, toss the pasta with the olive oil or butter. Season the lentils to taste with salt and pepper, add them to the spaghettini, and toss well.
6. Ladle the pasta and lentils into deep bowls, and sprinkle each portion with mint.
• Cut the cooking time by 15 minutes by substituting red lentils for the brown. If you do this, be sure to begin boiling water for the pasta sooner.
• In addition to the mint, top each portion with a dollop of plain nonfat yogurt, crumbled feta cheese, or chopped fresh tomatoes.
• Prepare the lentils a couple of hours in advance through step 3. Reheat them, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes in a 300°F oven or for 3 to 4 minutes in the microwave. The lentils will have absorbed all of the moisture while they were standing, so you definitely will need the suggested olive oil or butter in step 5.
SECOND TIME AROUND
LENTIL SOUP: For 2 cups of leftovers, add 1 can (14½ ounces) crushed or stewed tomatoes and about 2 cups (one 14-ounce can) chicken broth. Add 1 cup cooked vegetables (perhaps leftover parsnips, carrots, or spinach), or 1 cup diced smoked meat, to turn this into a main-course soup. Bring it to a simmer and cook until all of the ingredients are heated through, about 5 minutes. You can finish the soup with ¼ cup minced fresh herbs such as mint, or parsley, or cilantro.
PASTA: Medium-size fancy or flat shapes
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 25 to 30 minutes
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I love this recipe because it is so easy to prepare, plus it’s light and fresh. It makes a perfect late evening meal.
Salt
½ to ¾ pound medium-size shells
4 cloves garlic
½ pound tofu, preferably firm
4 medium-size carrots
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup fresh parsley leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, peel and mince the garlic. Cut the tofu into ¼-inch cubes. Peel and thinly slice the carrots.
3. Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and carrots and sauté for about 1 minute. Then add the tofu, cumin, lemon juice, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, rinse, pat dry, and mince the parsley. When the carrots are tender, add the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, off the heat. Add the tofu mixture, toss it well, and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately.
• Seasonings: Instead of the cumin, season the dish with chili powder. Or substitute chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, dill, or mint, for the cumin; stir them in at the end of step 4.
• Vegetables: Instead of the carrots, use 2 cups corn kernels or chopped green beans or red bell peppers.
PASTA: Medium-size fancy shapes or tubes
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 25 minutes
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This dish has a heady flavor, comforting on cold winter nights and well into the cool evenings of spring. It’s also fast, fast, fast, but if you want to cut the preparation time even more, use fresh fettuccine, which takes only 2 to 3 minutes to cook.
To round out the meal in early fall, serve sliced tomatoes with a vinaigrette dressing before or after the pasta and beans. In winter, broccoli or cauliflower would be a natural accompaniment.
Salt
½ pound (3 cups) orecchiette, fusilli, radiatore, or penne
6 medium-size fresh sage leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried crushed sage
2 cloves garlic
½ cup (packed) fresh parsley leaves
2 cups cooked white beans, or 1 can (19 ounces) white beans, drained
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup dry white vermouth or dry white wine
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese, for serving
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cut the fresh sage leaves into fine shreds. Peel and mince the garlic. Rinse, pat dry, and finely chop the parsley. If you are using canned beans, rinse and drain them.
3. Heat the olive oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and sage, and cook until you can smell the aroma of the garlic, about 10 seconds. Add the vermouth and cook until some has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the beans, cover, and simmer until they are heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm, covered, off the heat, until the pasta is ready.
4. When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot, off the heat. Add the bean mixture, toss well, and serve immediately. Pass the cheese separately.
Smoky White Beans and Sage: In step 3, after you have added the beans, add 2 ounces finely shredded or diced prosciutto, smoked ham, or turkey.
Low-Fat White Beans and Sage: In step 3, cook the garlic and sage in just 1 tablespoon olive oil. Then add ½ cup chicken broth after you have added the vermouth.
Lemon White Beans and Sage with Butter: In step 3, cook the garlic and sage in 2 tablespoons butter. Instead of the vermouth, substitute ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest, ¼ cup lemon juice, and ¼ cup chicken broth.
PASTA: Medium-size fancy shapes, or rice or buckwheat noodles
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 30 to 35 minutes
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To build a dinner around this fragrant and filling pasta dish, all you need is a simple dessert of sliced nectarines tossed with blueberries or a dish of vanilla ice cream.
Salt
½ pound tofu, preferably firm
1 nickel-size slice of fresh ginger, or ½ teaspoon ground dried ginger
6 medium-size carrots
2 scallions (green onions)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably low-sodium
1 teaspoon sugar
⅓ cup water
½ to ¾ pound rotini, fusilli, buckwheat noodles (soba), or thin rice noodles
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, cut the tofu into ½-inch dice. Peel and mince the fresh ginger. Peel and thinly slice the carrots. Trim 3 inches off the scallion tops and thinly slice the rest.
3. Combine whichever ginger you are using, sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and water in a medium-size saucepan, off the heat.
4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but firm to the bite, about 10 minutes for the semolina pasta. Follow package directions for buckwheat or rice noodles.
5. While the pasta is cooking, bring the soy sauce mixture to a hard boil over high heat. Add the tofu and carrots, cover, and simmer over medium-high heat until the carrots are tender, about 4 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the scallions. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm, covered, off the heat, until the pasta is ready.
6. When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot, off the heat. Add the tofu mixture and toss well. Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately.
• Substitute ½ to ¾ pound diced parsnips or white turnips for the carrots.
• To change the dish into a more “Western” one, substitute vegetable oil for the sesame oil, white wine vinegar for the rice vinegar, and Worcestershire for the soy sauce.
SECOND TIME AROUND
Create a soup by adding 2 cups chicken broth to each 2 cups of leftovers. Add 2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, such as cilantro or parsley, and maybe ¼ pound fresh seafood, such as shelled shrimp or crab, or chunks of fish fillet.
PASTA: Flavored fancy shapes or ribbons
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 25 to 30 minutes
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This peppery pasta and black bean dish will appeal to folks who appreciate sharply flavored foods. Wonderful when freshly made, it is also delicious the next day, baked with tomatoes or served as a salad (see the Second Time Around that follows).
I like to serve this over a green or red-hued pasta because the black beans look prettier against pasta that has some color. For a contrasting flavor, serve a sweet vegetable side dish, such as carrots or fresh corn.
Salt
4 cloves garlic
2 jalapeño peppers, preferably fresh
2 green bell peppers
¾ pound flavored pasta, such as red pepper rotini, saffron-hued linguine, or spinach linguine
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 can (16 to 19 ounces) black beans, drained
1 cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves
½ teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup plain nonfat yogurt
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, peel and mince the garlic. Stem, seed, and mince the jalapeños. Core, seed, and chop the bell peppers. (You could do all of the chopping at once in a food processor.)
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, jalapeños, and bell peppers. Sauté until you can smell the garlic aroma and the peppers are beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover, and cook over very low heat until the peppers are soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. While the peppers are cooking, rinse the beans and finely chop them. Rinse, pat dry, and finely chop the cilantro.
6. When the peppers are soft, add the chili powder, vinegar, and beans. Cover and simmer over low heat until the beans are heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the cilantro and yogurt. Mix well, and season to taste with salt. Keep warm, covered, off the heat, until the pasta is ready.
7. When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot, off the heat. Add the black bean mixture and toss until thoroughly combined. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.
Usually there are no leftovers after I make this because we love spicy food. However, if you don’t finish it all at one sitting, toss what’s left (at least 1 cup) with 1 chopped fresh tomato, spoon it into a baking dish, cover, and bake at 300°F until hot, about 15 minutes.
Or turn it into a cold pasta salad by moistening the leftovers with additional yogurt; serve it with shredded romaine lettuce.
PASTA: Large or medium-size tubes
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 25 minutes
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On nights when you are even more harried than usual, think of this recipe. It is amazingly delicious, especially given how little work is involved.
Serve a side dish of stir-fried mushrooms and bell peppers, or follow this with steamed broccoli or cauliflower dressed with a vinaigrette.
Salt
4 cloves garlic
4 jalapeño peppers, preferably fresh
1 pound rigatoni, ziti, or mezzani
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cans (14½ ounces each) crushed tomatoes
2 cans (16 ounces each) chick-peas, drained
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. While the water is heating, peel and mince the garlic. Stem, seed, and mince the jalapeño peppers.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and jalapeños, and sauté for a few seconds, until you can smell the garlic aroma. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and cook until somewhat thickened, about 1 minute. Add the chickpeas and oregano and simmer, uncovered, until the pasta is done.
5. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, off the heat. Add the chick-peas and sauce, and toss until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt, and serve immediately.
With just a simple shift in proportions, you can create slightly different dishes. If you want more of a pasta taste, then reduce the chick-peas to 1 cup. Or conversely, if you want a richer chick-pea flavor, follow the recipe but serve it with only half the amount of pasta.
PASTA: Tiny shapes
MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
TIME: 20 minutes
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Simply flavored with garlic and Parmesan, this dish makes a fine dinner when served with a braised vegetable, or a wonderful accompaniment alongside roasted meats. Sun-dried tomatoes add a note of acidity, and toasted quinoa contributes crunch.
When serving this as a main course, I usually choose a side of braised fennel or celery root. When there are only two of us, so washing the leaves is not so onerous, I’ll serve braised fresh spinach.
If you can’t find quinoa, a delicious and highly nutritious grain that’s generally available in health food stores, then substitute millet, cracked wheat, or even kasha.
2 cloves garlic
8 to 10 sun-dried tomatoes, preferably packed in olive oil cup olive oil
⅓ cup quinoa
1¼ cups orzo, acini de pepe, or tubettini
3 cups chicken broth or water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Peel and mince the garlic. Mince the sun-dried tomatoes.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa and orzo and cook, stirring constantly, until the quinoa turns golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, and continue to sauté until you can smell the garlic, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook gently until the orzo is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. There will be a little liquid that has not been absorbed by the pasta (when you add the cheese, the liquid will be absorbed and the dish will become creamy, somewhat like risotto). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the Parmesan. Serve immediately.
• Dried porcini or other wild mushrooms are a natural in this recipe. Bring 3 cups of chicken broth to a boil and pour it over ½ ounce dried mushrooms; soak for 30 minutes. Strain the reconstituted mushrooms through a cheesecloth-lined sieve, reserving the broth. Rinse the mushrooms, mince them, and then add them to the reserved broth. Omit the sun-dried tomatoes, and substitute the mushroom-laced broth for the plain chicken broth in the recipe.
• Right before stirring in the cheese in step 3, add a bunch of arugula leaves or a cupful of shredded radicchio.
• Change the liquid: Substitute ½ cup of dry white wine or dry vermouth for ½ cup of the chicken broth, or substitute ¼ cup of vodka for ¼ cup of the broth.
PASTA: Small tubes
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 30 to 35 minutes
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These chick-peas freeze well without the pasta, so make a double batch and you’ll have another meal ready in no time.
Serve a side dish (or a first course) of steamed broccoli to make the meal complete. For a dramatic presentation, pile cooked broccoli florets in the middle of a shallow bowl and surround them with the pasta and chick-peas.
Salt
1 onion
½-inch slice of fresh ginger
3 carrots
¼ cup (packed) fresh cilantro or parsley leaves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon anise or fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can (14½ ounces) stewed tomatoes
2 cups cooked chick-peas, or 1 can (19 ounces) chick-peas, drained
½ pound elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons lime juice
½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt (optional)
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic and the ginger. Peel and thinly slice the carrots. Rinse, pat dry, and mince the cilantro.
3. Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger and cook until the onions turn lightly golden, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the ground coriander, cumin, anise, and cayenne along with the stewed tomatoes and the carrots. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the carrots are almost tender, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the chick-peas to the tomatoes and carrots and simmer, covered, until they are hot, about 10 minutes. (You can cook them longer; they’ll just absorb more of the flavor of the other ingredients.)
6. While the chick-peas are cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.
7. When the chick-peas are hot, stir in the lime juice and season to taste with salt. Remove the pan from the heat.
8. Drain the pasta and divide it among four shallow bowls. Ladle the chick-peas and sauce over the pasta and top with the minced cilantro. Pass the sour cream or yogurt separately if you wish.
• In step 4, add ½ to 1 cup chicken broth or water to make a soupier mixture.
• You’ll be amazed to see how easily you can go from an Indian flavor to an Italian one just by switching some of the seasonings around: Substitute a fruity olive oil for the vegetable oil, and omit the ginger. Instead of the ground coriander and cumin, use ½ teaspoon dried rosemary and ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes. Substitute lemon juice for the lime juice, and ½ cup chopped parsley leaves for the cilantro. If you have any on hand, add 1 teaspoon black olive or anchovy paste in step 4.
SECOND TIME AROUND
SWEET AND SPICY CHICK-PEA SALAD: Chill the chick-pea mixture (without the pasta) and serve it as is over a bed of sliced cucumbers, or toss it first with plain yogurt (1 tablespoon for each cup of chick-peas).
CHICK-PEA SOUP: For each cup of leftover chick-peas and pasta, add ½ cup water, chicken broth, or tomato juice, and simmer until hot.