Pasta and Chickpeas with Tuscan Cabbage

Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 1/2 oz pancetta or speck, cut into small pieces

• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, skin on, smashed
• 2-3 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
• 2 14 0z cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 piece of parmesan cheese or pecorino rind

• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups passata 

• 8 oz dried egg pappardelle, coarsely broken with your hands 

• 1 small bunch Tuscan cabbage (cavolo nero), leaves stripped and coarsely chopped
• Grated pecorino 

• Chili Oil (optional), to serve 

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the pancetta and cook until it starts to caramelize.
3. Add the shallot, garlic and thyme and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Stir in the chickpeas and cheese rind and season with a little salt.
5. Add the passata and 1 2/3 cup water, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until slightly reduced.
6. Add a couple of ladles of boiling water to the pan to ensure there’s enough liquid to cook the pasta in with the chickpeas.
7. Bring to the boil, add the broken pappardelle and stir well so the pasta doesn’t stick.
8. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. The soup will thicken as the pasta cooks.
9. Turn off the heat, add the Tuscan cabbage (cavolo nero) and allow the residual heat to wilt and cook it gently. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
10. Let the soup stand for a few minutes before serving to allow the starch from the pasta to thicken it.
11. Serve with a generous sprinkling of grated pecorino cheese and a drizzle of chili oil for an additional layer of flavor! Buon Appetito!

Recipe Notes: Everybody Loves Italian