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Milk Street's Christopher Kimball shares an easy pasta (that takes just thirty-five minutes total!) from his new cookbook, Milk Street Noodles.  

Milk Street Noodles

Milk Street Noodles

Amazon
$32

"This unusual dish from the Puglia region of Italy combines pieces of crispy fried pasta, al dente boiled pasta and tender chickpeas. We learned it from Anna Carmela Perrone at Le Zie Trattoria in Lecce. We use a 9-ounce package of fresh fettuccine and cut the noodles into 2-inch lengths; half is toasted in olive oil and the other half is simmered directly in the sauce. If you have trouble finding fresh pasta, use an 8.8-ounce package of dried pappardelle made with egg; the noodles are packaged in nests that are easy to break into pieces. Keep in mind, however, that dried pappardelle toasts more quickly than fresh pasta—in about 8 minutes. Lemon zest and juice and chopped fresh parsley add brightness to balance the starches. This dish is best served right away when the sauce is creamy." —Christopher Kimball 

For more popular recipes from Christopher, check out his Italian Sweet & Sour Pork Chops and Spinach, Ham and Cheddar Strata

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 9 ounces fresh fettuccine, cut into rough 2-inch lengths
  • One 15 ½-ounce can chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Yield

Serves: 4

Preparation

In a large pot over medium, combine the oil and half of the pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is crisp and deeply browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. 

To the oil remaining in the pot, add the chickpeas and bay. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas darken slightly and the bay is toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining pasta, ¼ cup of chickpea liquid (supplement with water, if needed), 2 ¼ cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and ¾ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is heated through and slightly softened, about 2 minutes. 

Add the toasted pasta and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer, until the untoasted pasta is al dente and the sauce lightly clings, about 4 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, then remove and discard the bay. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Excerpted from Milk Street Noodles by Christopher Kimball. Copyright © 2023 by Christopher Kimball. Used with permission by Voracious. All rights reserved.