Orecchiette with Crispy Chickpeas and Spinach

Love a quick 15-minute pasta dish, and this one is a family favorite. By the time your pasta is done cooking, you’ll have your crispy chickpeas, garlic and spinach ready to go, and be mixing it all together and eating before you know it. 

As you can see in the recipe, the parmesan and butter are optional. I have tried this both ways, many times and they both work great. The truth is, sometimes we like the pasta lighter, and sometimes we want that extra creaminess. 

Orecchiette with Crispy Chickpeas and Spinach
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup olive oil
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (pat dry)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
12 ounces orecchiette or rigatoni 
6 ounces baby spinach 
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan *optional
1 tablespoon unsalted butter *optional
1 lemon, halved, and quartered for garnish
Chopped parsley, garnish 

STEPS
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, and cook until a couple minutes short of al dente according to the package instructions. 

In the mean time, in a wide, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the chickpeas, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until they are crispy and popping (about 5-7 minutes). Add the garlic, and red pepper flakes, and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic just begins to turn golden. Remove a 1/2 cup of the crispy chickpeas for garnish, and set aside. 

Using spider strainer or tongs, transfer the pasta directly from the pot to the chickpea skillet. Add in the spinach and a few splashes of pasta water, if using parmesan, add that in now. Stirring vigorously until the spinach is softened and the pasta is coated. If you are looking for a more creamy pasta, I’ll often times add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter at the end, stirring it together to create a nice creamy gloss. 

Remove from the heat, squeeze half of a lemon over top, mix thoroughly, and top with the reserved crispy chickpeas and chopped parsley. Serve with more parmesan and red chili flakes on the side, along with lemon wedges.