The other night I made a delicious pasta dressed with garbanzo beans, lemons and roasted broccoli. But, as I got out the fourth and final helping for dinner, I was feeling a little was bored. I happen to be reading Lynn Rosetto Kasper's new cookbook, The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper. The Splendid Table is Kasper's NPR radio program on food and cooking, a wealth of tips and ideas. Of course, the idea of a public radio program on cooking has the makings for parody (Remember Alec Bladwin and his Schweaty Balls on SNL in the early 90s?), but Kasper has the personality and experience to pull the program off in an authentic way.
One of the chapters in the book is on eggs and is filled with wonderful ideas like pan-fried deviled eggs and salad with potato and hard cooked eggs. Reading the recipes and looking at the photos made me hungry for eggs, and as I looked at my plate of leftover pasta thought it might taste better topped with an egg fried in olive oil. I was right.
Recipe: Pasta with Broccoli, Garbanzo Beans and Lemon
1 16 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 large lemon
Olive oil (flavored with citrus is you have it)
1 large head of broccoli
12 oz of tubish pasta such at ziti
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. While it warms, wash the broccoli and cut into small florets. Toss in a baking pan with 2 tbsp. Of olive oil, some salt and a little pepper. Roast in the oven until done, 12 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat water to boiling and cook pasta according to package directions.
In a big yellow bowl, place the garbanzo beans and 1 to 2 tbsp of olive oil. Grate the lemon zest directly into the bowl, then juice the lemon and add. Using a fork or potato masher, coarsely mash the beans and oil into a thick, chunky paste. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta. Add the water to thin the beans, then add pasta, tossing to coat. Add the Parmesan cheese in small amounts, tossing with each addition so it is well mixed and doesn't clump into the pasta. Toss in the cooked broccoli, taste and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy. Makes 4 servings.
(Top with a fried egg, if you wish.)
Mangez!