Chickpea Cacio e Pepe with Caramelized Lemon by Andy Baraghani
"If I still need to convince you to make this, know that it was the first meal that I made for my boyfriend, and he has been attached to me ever since."
This is one of two featured recipes from this week’s guest, Andy Baraghani, via his debut cookbook The Cook You Want To Be. Paid subscribers can also find a recipe for Andy’s Pork Chops with Toasted Garlic and Spicy Capers.
Excerpted with permission from The Cook You Want To Be by Andy Baraghani:
Serves 4 (plus, maybe, some leftovers, though I doubt it)
There are many recipes for pasta e ceci (aka pasta with chickpeas). The majority thave encountered are brothy, almost souplike. This recipe emphasizes both the chickpeas and the pasta but is equally comforting and a lot creamier than the usual versions. Much of the magic of this dish lies in crushing the chickpeas, so they release their starches and transform the pasta water into a creamy sauce. Some of the chickpeas retain their shape, whereas others turn to delicious mush, and the caramelized lemon lends some chewy tang and brings the pasta back to life post-boiling. It’s incredibly satisfying. If I still need to convince you to make this, know that it was the first meal that I made for my boyfriend, and he has been attached to me ever since.
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