Fast food, episode VI

I'm continuing to bang the drum for food you can make at home more quickly and cheaply, and that is better anyway, than just about anything you can get at a fast-food place. This recipe uses one-quarter of a $2 box of ditalini pasta. So if you buy the pasta, four cans of chickpeas, and a tube of good tomato paste (umami!), then throw in a few pantry staples, you can have four quick (23 minutes each) and tasty meals for about $10 total. How tasty? I'd originally tested this with gluten-free pasta (gag), but I wanted to make it with ditalini to see how long it would take and how much I would need, so I picked a night when Mom was having leftovers. Except that Mom likes this stuff so much that she forgot about being gluten-free (again) and ate half of my dinner, too. So it's that tasty, and certainly better than a sandwich from Jimmy John's (you know who you are), even if it is freaky fast®.

Pasta with Chickpeas

Adapted from Chickpeas (2015) by Victoria Granof via Food52 and Dinner: A Love Story

Time from start to finish: 23 minutes

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ cup (53 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed (carefully) with the flat edge of a chef’s knife
a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
30 grams (2 tablespoons) good tomato paste such as Amore or Cento
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
113 grams/4 ounces (1 cup) ditalini (or another small pasta shape like elbows)
2 cups (472 grams) boiling water

    1. Put a kettle of water on to boil.
    2. In a small bowl, zap the drained chickpeas in the microwave on high power until they’re hot, which takes about 1:30 in our 700-watt microwave (your mileage may vary).
    3. Heat the oil in a large pot or saucier over a moderate heat (a notch or two below medium). Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and no more than pale blond (don’t burn it!), about 1 minute.
    4. Add the tomato paste and salt, and cook for about 30 seconds, mashing up and distributing the tomato paste as best you can.
    5. Stir in the chickpeas, pasta, and boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer, until the pasta is al dente, about 10–15 minutes. A fair bit of the cooking liquid will have been absorbed, but the finished dish will still be fairly soupy. Serve promptly with spoons. Serves 2.