This delicious pasta has a beautiful creamy consistency and slightly sweet red sauce that I love.  The tomatoes and crispy chickpeas add additional texture making this a wonderfully healthy and beautiful dish.  To make this a vegan dish, simply eliminate the parmesan cheese. Additionally, if you are craving additional protein, serve this with grilled chicken (perfect for your bigger eaters) and always a nice salad on the side.

Serves about 4

Ingredients:

  • 9 ounces Tagliatelle
  • 3 red bell peppers
  • 3 cups cherry tomatoes, heirloom colored variety if possible (for pop of color)
  • 2 cups chickpeas
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 head garlic
  • 1 bunch basil thinly sliced, plus leaves for garnish
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil, approximately
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • kosher salt and pepper

Directions:

make sauce: 

Preheat oven to 350.  Cut upper third of garlic bulb off to expose cloves.  Pour a bit of olive oil (about 2 teaspoons) on top and wrap in foil.  Roast in oven for about 1 hour- 1 hour in 15 minutes.  Cloves should be golden and soft when ready.  Increase oven temp to 400 (or if you have two ovens, use second oven).  Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing seeds.  Place peppers on foil lined baking sheet, cut-side down.  Roast for about 45 minutes until skin of peppers is blistered and charred in areas.  Remove peppers from oven, place in paper sack and seal sack allowing peppers to cool.  When they have cooled, peel skin away from flesh and place in bowl of food processor, discarding skins (allowing peppers to cool completely will make this process quite easy).  While cooling, place tomatoes on a baking sheet season with an additional 2 tablespoons of oil and toss.  Season with salt, pepper garlic powder and oregano.  Place in 400 degree oven and allow them to burst and char slightly (about 20 minutes). Remove from oven and set aside. In a small skillet, saute sliced onions in a tablespoon or so of olive oil on low.  Season with salt and pepper and continue to saute for about 15 minutes until onions are tender and fragrant.  In a food processor or blender, squeeze garlic cloves from roasted garlic from bulb along with sautéed onions, peeled peppers and  parmesan.  Process sauce until creamy. Stir in basil.

prepare chickpeas and pasta:

In a medium skillet, heat an additional 2 tablespoons of oil.  Dust chickpeas with flour and place in skillet turning occasionally to give them a crispy exterior (about 3 minutes). Remove from skillet and place on paper-towel lined plate.  Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente texture, reserving about a cup of cooking liquid.  Drain pasta, place back in pan and reheat with prepared sauce adding a bit of cooking liquid to sauce if necessary to achieve desired consistency.  Divide pasta in bowls, add prepared tomatoes and chickpeas.  Garnish with additional basil and parmesan if desired.  Serve immediately and enjoy!