Spaghetti with Broccoli, Chickpeas, and Garlic

Traditionally, after the Passover dishes are packed away and the countertop covers scoured and stored for the next year, I happily relinquish my apron and my son cooks up a large pot of creamy, cheesy macaroni that family members eagerly anticipate. This year, wiser counsel prevailed and the over-forty crowd contentedly spooned up heaping bowls of crunchy Raisin Bran, while my teenage grandsons inhaled a large pizza. The times they are a changin’. There are few things as satisfying as a big bowl of creamy pasta, but indulging that craving without butter or cream seems impossible. Or is it?

Spaghetti with Broccoli, Chickpeas, and Garlic

Using a little bit of pasta water is the trick to making smooth, restaurant-level sauces. Pasta water is the cloudy, starchy water that’s leftover when you cook noodles. The starch in your pasta water is an emulsifying agent and also a thickener. Add a little pasta water to just about any sauce you’re making and it will help the sauce stick to the pasta.  It’s also important not to rinse the cooked noodles. The coating of starch on the pasta will bind it to the sauce and prevent a puddly mess from forming at the bottom of your plate.

This recipe for spaghetti with broccoli, chickpeas and garlic published in Gourmet magazine, January 2005, is made from ingredients that I’m certain you have on hand right now, including frozen broccoli (I had 7 bags in the freezer at last count…) and canned chickpeas. The savory light golden garlic complements the sweet-nutty flavors of the broccoli and chickpeas. With just a hint of heat from the red pepper flakes, this spaghetti dish is a comforting main course or side dish, that can be served warm or at room temperature. For best results, just remember to save some pasta cooking water and whatever you do, don’t rinse the pasta. You’re welcome.

Assemble your ingredients. Cut the frozen broccoli florets into 1-inch pieces. Mince the garlic finely. Add the salt to the garlic and continue mincing to make a paste.

Cook the garlic paste and red pepper flakes in oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderate heat, stirring until the garlic is light golden in color. This should take about a minute. Don’t burn the garlic. It will be bitter. 

Add the broccoli and cook stirring occasionally until the broccoli is thawed and crisp-tender about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and cook until heated through.

Cook the pasta in a 6-8 quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta in a colander but don’t rinse it. Add the pasta to the broccoli and chickpeas in the skillet and slowly add the reserved cooking water to the skillet, continuing to cook over moderate heat and toss the mixture until well combined. Serve drizzled with a little bit of olive oil. Sprinkle the pasta with parmesan cheese if desired.

Print Recipe

Spaghetti with Broccoli, Chickpeas, and Garlic

Grains and Pasta

By Gourmet magazine, January 2005 – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 – Cooking Time: 15 minutes – Total Time: 20 minutes

Savory light golden garlic complements the sweet-nutty flavors of the broccoli and chickpeas. With just a hint of heat from the red pepper flakes, this spaghetti dish is a comforting main course or side dish

Ingredients

• 6 garlic cloves, minced finely
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling on finished pasta
• 1-24 ounce package frozen broccoli florets (not thawed), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 pound spaghetti (250 g)
• Accompaniments: finely grated parmesan (optional)

Instructions

1

Cut the frozen broccoli florets into 1-inch pieces. Mince the garlic finely. Add the salt to the garlic and continue mincing to make a paste.

2

Cook the garlic paste and red pepper flakes in oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderate heat, stirring until the garlic is light golden in color. This should take about a minute.

3

Add the broccoli and cook stirring occasionally until the broccoli is thawed and tender-crisp about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and cook until heated through.

4

Cook the pasta in a 6-8 quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta in a colander but don't rinse it. Add the pasta to the broccoli and chickpeas in the skillet and slowly add the reserved cooking water to the skillet, continuing to cook over moderate heat and toss the mixture until well combined. Serve drizzled with a little bit of olive oil. Sprinkle the pasta with parmesan cheese if desired.