Chickpea & Kale Pasta With Fried Rosemary & Romano Cheese

Step 1

Prepare the ingredients:

Step 2

Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Pick the rosemary leaves off the stems. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Halve the tomatoes. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves.

Step 3

Fry the rosemary:

Step 4

In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high. Once the oil is hot enough that a rosemary leaf sizzles immediately when added, add the rosemary leaves. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until crispy and fragrant. Leaving the oil in the pan, transfer the fried rosemary to a paper towel-lined plate; immediately season with salt.

Step 5

Cook the chickpeas & vegetables:

Step 6

Heat the pan of reserved rosemary oil on medium-high until hot. Add the drained chickpeas (carefully, as the oil may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the halved tomatoes, chopped garlic, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the sliced kale; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Loosely cover the pan with foil and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat.

Step 7

Cook the pasta:

Step 8

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

Step 9

Finish the pasta & serve your dish:

Step 10

To the pot of cooked pasta, add the cooked chickpeas and vegetables and half the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is coated. Turn off the heat. Add the mascarpone and 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil; stir to coat (if necessary, gradually add the remaining cooking water to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated). Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished pasta garnished with the romano and fried rosemary. Enjoy!

Step 11

Prepare the ingredients:

Step 12

Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Pick the rosemary leaves off the stems. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Halve the tomatoes. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves.

Step 13

Fry the rosemary:

Step 14

In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high. Once the oil is hot enough that a rosemary leaf sizzles immediately when added, add the rosemary leaves. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until crispy and fragrant. Leaving the oil in the pan, transfer the fried rosemary to a paper towel-lined plate; immediately season with salt.

Step 15

Cook the chickpeas & vegetables:

Step 16

Heat the pan of reserved rosemary oil on medium-high until hot. Add the drained chickpeas (carefully, as the oil may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the halved tomatoes, chopped garlic, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the sliced kale; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Loosely cover the pan with foil and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat.

Step 17

Cook the pasta:

Step 18

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

Step 19

Finish the pasta & serve your dish:

Step 20

To the pot of cooked pasta, add the cooked chickpeas and vegetables and half the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is coated. Turn off the heat. Add the mascarpone and 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil; stir to coat (if necessary, gradually add the remaining cooking water to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated). Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished pasta garnished with the romano and fried rosemary. Enjoy!