This one is best served warm, but the sauce is just a matter of
assembling the ingredients and cooking them while the pasta drains. You
can vary this recipe by using other types of canned beans for the
chickpeas and/or canned tuna or clams for the salami.
- Approximately 1 1/2 c. salami,
- pepperoni, or other cured sausage, cut into matchsticks between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick.
- 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 T. thinly sliced or minced garlic or more or less to taste
- 1 tsp. hot pepper flakes or to taste, optional
- 1 T. Hungarian or Spanish sweet or hot paprika
- 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, undrained
- 1/4 c. dry white wine or vermouth
- 4 – 6 c. coarsely chopped washed greens such as spinach or arugula
- 1/2 c. chopped fresh Italian flat-leafed parsley
- Salt
Cook
the pasta until just a couple minutes shy of al dente, then drain. Put
the pot back on the stove and turn the heat to medium high. Add the
salami, half the olive oil, the garlic, hot pepper, and sauté until the
garlic JUST begins to turn golden. Add the paprika and cook for a
minute; then add the chickpeas and their liquid and the wine and bring
to a boil. Simmer for about five minutes or until the mixture has
thickened slightly. Add half the parsley and cook, stirring frequently,
until the pasta is al dente, 3-5 minutes.
Add the pasta to the
pot and stir until the pasta and sauce are completely combined. Add the
remaining olive oil, check the seasoning and add additional salt if
desired. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve immediately.
Makes enough for 1 lb. pasta. Rigatoni, cavatappi, penne or other sturdy tubular pastas work best with this sauce.
To
make with fresh Italian sausage: Replace the salami with 1 lb. fresh
Italian sausage. Remove the sausage from the casings, if any, and sauté
until cooked through. Proceed as above.
Other beans, such as cannelini beans maybe substituted for the chickpeas.
This article appears in Jul 29 – Aug 4, 2010.
