Orecchiette with Chickpeas and Zaat

Orecchiette with Chickpeas and Zaat

This summer I fell in love with this wonderful cookbook and chef Yotam Ottolenghi. If you are not familiar with him, please do so, you will not regret it.  Being born in Jerusalem, from Italian, German and Jewish descent, his cooking reflect all those influences via his spice and ingredient selection.  The play with flavors leaves me mesmerized and going back to try more recipes. I saw you looking at the recipe and shrugging your shoulders at the length of the ingredients. Do not fear. This is a recipe that will soon become your favorite as it did in our house. However, my advise to you is to have all the ingredients ready, measured and chopped before you turn on the stove. Trust me, this recipe only takes less than 30 minutes. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Prep10 min
Cook20 min
Total30 min
Servings4
Difficultyeasy
PastaLunchDinner / Supper

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoonolive oil
  • 0.5onion chopped
  • 2garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespooncurry
  • 1 teaspoonfresh thyme leaves
  • 7anchovies fillets
  • 1lemon, zested and half juiced
  • 214-ounces each, chickpeas can
  • 1 tablespoonbrown sugar
  • 1 cupchicken broth
  • 2 ouncefresh spinach
  • 0.5 poundorecchiette pasta
  • 0.5 cupfresh Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1.5 teaspoonzaatar
  • 0salt
  • 0pepper

Instructions

  1. 1

    In a large skillet heat olive oil over hot heat. Sautee the onion for 3-4 minute with the garlic, curry, thyme, anchovies, lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt black pepper. Stir constantly until tender and golden. Lower the heat and add the chickpeas, brown sugar and let cook until golden, about 8 minutes.

  2. 2

    When the chickpeas start to turn dry, wet with the chicken broth et the lemon juice. Cook and reduce for about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

  3. 3

    Meanwhile in a large pot of salted boiling water add the pasta and cook al dente. Drain and set aside.

  4. 4

    In the chickpea’s skillet add the spinach and parsley and mix well. The spinach should be welting. If that is not the case, turn on the heat to low and give it a couple of stirs. Add the orecchiette and mix well to coat all the pasta.

  5. 5

    Serve on four plates or bowls, sprinkle the zataat over it and drizzle a little bit of olive oil.