Tagliatelle with chickpeas

Serves 6

• 250g dried chickpeas
• 6 cloves garlic
• 0.5 leek
• 0.5 red onion
• 2 cherry tomatoes
• 1 small dried chilli
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 400g fresh tagliatelle
• 150g olive oil
• 0 black pepper

Step 1
They will make your guests swoon and guzzle, without breaking into a gouty sweat.

Step 2
Drain the chickpeas and place in a pan.

Step 3
Cover with water and add the garlic, leek, onion, tomato (don’t chop) chilli and rosemary.

Step 4
Bring up to the boil and simmer for about an hour until the chickpeas are tender.

Step 5
Make sure the chickpeas are always covered with water.

Step 6
Remove the veg along with 100ml of liquor, discard the rosemary and blitz together the veg with the liquor in a food processor.

Step 7
Return to the pan and stir through the chickpeas.

Step 8
Season well.

Step 9
Divide the tagliatelle roughly into three.

Step 10
Break it into shorter strips –about 6cm long.

Step 11
Cook one third in lots of boiling salted water.

Step 12
Add another third to the chickpeas and simmer until just cooked, adding more water if necessary.

Step 13
Fry the final third in hot olive oil until the pasta pieces are crisp.

Step 14
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen roll.

Step 15
Combine the cooked pasta with the chickpeas, adding a little extra water so it isn’t dry.

Step 16
Season well and top with the fried, crisp pasta pieces before serving.