Have you ever tried a recipe just because you liked the picture? I do all the time. Once I even tried liver because there was a good picture (it was terrible). This recipe though, was yummy! I love chick peas, and having them in a pasta sauce was something I had never thought of before.
Chickpeas are low in fat, high in fiber and iron, cheap, and a great source of protein to try instead of meat. They were delicious in this sauce! I like my sauce thicker so I simmered it longer and added some tomato paste. Hubs, who would normally never touch a chickpea, cleaned his plate. Score!!
Adapted From Canadian Living March 2010
3 cups sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 (14 oz) can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 (28 oz) can of tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 3/4 cups penne, macaroni, or ditali pasta
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Heat up a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat and saute the mushrooms, garlic, and onion until there is no liquid and the mushrooms are browned. Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, salt, pepper, oregano, and bring to a boil, stirring. Let simmer for about 15 minutes until thickened. If it's still too watery for you, continue to simmer and add about another tablespoon of tomato paste. Add the chick peas at the end, stirring and simmering to heat through.
In the mean time, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain.
Toss the cooked pasta with the finished sauce and top with parsley and Parmesan.
Serves 4.
