Chickpeas and Pasta with Herbs and Anchovies

Ingredients Pasta and Base 450g (1 pound) cavatelli, orecchiette, or ditalini pasta Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 60ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving Flavor Components 8-10 oil-packed anchovy fillets, roughly chopped (or vegetarian substitute - see notes) 4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced 30ml (2 tablespoons) chopped fresh sage 30ml (2 tablespoons) minced fresh rosemary Chickpeas Two 440g (15½-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained 120ml (½ cup) reserved chickpea liquid (aquafaba) Finishing 1-2ml (¼ to ½ teaspoon) red pepper flakes 10ml (2 teaspoons) grated lemon zest 30ml (2 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice Equipment Large pot for pasta 12-inch skillet Wooden spoon or pasta fork Fine grater for lemon zest Instructions Stage 1: Cook the Pasta (10 minutes) Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt Cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute less than package directions) Reserve ¾ cup of the pasta cooking water Drain pasta and return to pot; set aside off heat Stage 2: Build the Sauce (5 minutes) Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat Add anchovies (or substitute), garlic, sage, and rosemary Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and garlic turns golden (1½ to 2 minutes) Add drained chickpeas and red pepper flakes Cook, stirring and swirling the skillet, until chickpeas are sizzling and turn golden (3 to 4 minutes) Stir in reserved chickpea liquid and lemon zest Stage 3: Combine and Finish (5 minutes) Scrape the entire chickpea mixture into the pot with the pasta Set pot over medium heat Add ½ cup reserved pasta water, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper Cook, stirring constantly, until pasta reaches al dente (2 to 3 minutes) Add more pasta water as needed until sauce clings to pasta Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice Taste and adjust seasoning with salt Notes Vegetarian Anchovy Substitutes White or red miso paste (2-3 tablespoons) - provides similar umami depth Capers (2-3 tablespoons, chopped) - adds brininess and tang Kalamata or oil-cured olives (¼ cup, chopped) - brings saltiness and complexity Nutritional yeast (2-3 tablespoons) - offers umami and slight nuttiness Mushroom powder or dried porcini (1-2 tablespoons, rehydrated) - deep earthy umami Soy sauce or tamari (1-2 tablespoons) - liquid umami boost Sun-dried tomatoes in oil (¼ cup, chopped) - concentrated savory flavor Combination approach: 1 tablespoon miso + 1 tablespoon capers + splash of soy sauce Make-Ahead Tips Chickpea mixture can be prepared up to Stage 2 and refrigerated for up to 2 days Reheat gently before combining with freshly cooked pasta Variations Add a handful of baby spinach or arugula at the end for greens Include halved cherry tomatoes for freshness Top with toasted breadcrumbs for texture Use butter beans or cannellini beans instead of chickpeas Storage Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days Reheat gently with a splash of water or olive oil to loosen the sauce Not recommended for freezing as pasta texture will suffer Source Adapted from Milk Street, featuring Chef Vladimiro Gori of Osteria Su Santa Trinita ...

September 11, 2025

Buttered Stuffing with Leeks

A very simple Thanksgiving dressing (stuffing). Ingredients 1 large loaf good, crusty bread, preferably sourdough, ciabatta, or multi-grain (about 1¼ pounds) ¼ cup olive oil 8 tablespoons cultured, unsalted butter- divided in two parts 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 large leeks, white and light green parts, chopped ½ cup dry white wine ¼ cup finely chopped fresh sage 2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken, turkey or vegetable broth 5 large eggs ½ cup finely chopped parsley ¼ cup finely chopped chives Preheat Oven Preheat oven to 375°F. Preparation Bread Using your hands, tear bread, crust and all, into 1 ½- to 2-inch pieces. Place chunks on a rimmed baking sheet, and let sit uncovered at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. If you’re short on time, you can toast the chunks in a 300-degree oven instead, tossing occasionally, until lightly crisped, but not browned, on the outside. Leeks Heat oven to 375°F. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine olive oil and 4 tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted, add the garlic and leeks. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are bright green and totally softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add sage and cook an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Add white wine, and cook until reduced by about three-quarters, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Broth In a medium bowl, whisk together broth and eggs. Into a large bowl, combine until evenly distributed: Bread The leek mixture Parsley Chives Combine Pour about half the egg mixture over the bread and toss a few times. Let sit a minute or two and give another toss. Let sit about 20 minutes. Add more egg mixture until mixture is very wet. Bake Transfer mixture to a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish (a 9-by-13 pan also works), making sure not to pack it too tightly. Cover with foil and bake until the stuffing is sizzling at the edges and completely cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. If it’s not yet time to serve, remove stuffing from the oven and set aside. (If you are nearly ready to serve, proceed directly to the next step and continue without pausing.) Finish When ready to serve, remove foil and increase the temperature to 425°F. Dot the top with remaining butter. Bake stuffing until crispy, crunchy and golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve.

November 28, 2019