Thunder and Lightning

Another quick and easy pasta lunch option. I was surprised when I first bit into one of the peppercorns (I forgot to crack them), but it does add a nice bit of kick (or lightning) to the dish. I'm not sure how I feel about the chickpeas in this dish. On the one hand, I love chickpeas and they make this dish a lot more filling. On the other hand, they seem a bit out of place in terms of texture in the dish. Overall, the flavour of this pasta is very satisfying though. The fact that everything comes together in the time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta is just a bonus.

Thunder and Lightning (from Radically Simple)

Ingredients
340g dried orecchiette
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups cooked chickpeas (I cook a big batch and keep them in small bags in the freezer for quick meals!) or 1 drained can
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp dried sage leaves
1 1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook according to package directions and drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet. Add chickpeas and garlic and cook over high heat until chickpeas begin to pop, 4 minutes.
3. Add broth, sage, and peppercorns. Cook until broth has reduced by 1/4, 10 minutes (this went much more quickly for me!).
4. Add butter to pasta. Stir in chickpeas and broth.
5. Add half of cheese. Toss. Divide among 4 bowls and top with remaining cheese.