Pea Pesto Chickpea Pasta
Pea Pesto Chickpea Pasta is a gluten free nutritional dish. Pureed green peas add a natural sweetness to the flavor profile of a traditional basil pesto. Chickpea pasta has more protein and fiber in comparison to wheat pasta and half the carbs. Whole green peas and chopped toasted cashews added before serving offer additional texture.
Chickpea 411
Chickpea is a legume and one of the earliest cultivated foods dating back 9500 years. It is a nutrient dense food high in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. A 3.5 oz serving of chickpea pasta yields 22g protein, 8g fiber and 48g net carbs. A 3.5 oz serving of wheat pasta yields 13g protein, 3g fiber and 71g net carbs. The taste of the chickpea pasta is similar to the wheat product and is a healthy alternative for those who wish to eat less carbohydrates.
Eat your Fruit
Green peas are fruit, not vegetables. A pea is the spherical seed or the seed-pod of Pisum sativum. Carbohydrates in the fruit contribute to the sweetness of young peas. If left on the vine too long, the sugars convert into starch making the pea fibrous and tough.
The edible pea plant is a versatile culinary delight. The whole plant is used in a variety of ways. Stir fried tender young shoots, vine tendrils, or pods are an Asian favorite. The same parts added raw to salad offer sweet crunch. Side dishes or casseroles use boiled peas. Hydrated dried peas make thick soups or stews. Crisp snack foods made of roasted peas are a healthy replacement to chips or other fried snacks. Pea milk is a Vegan alternative to cow’s milk. Candied pea flowers decorate desserts. Pureed peas added to pesto makes a sweet savory herbaceous sauce for pasta as well as meat or other starchy vegetables such as baked potato.
Pesto
Pesto is a generic term for any version of the original condiment. It is essentially a combination of flavorful leaves of herbs, oily nuts, hard cheese, olive oil, garlic, and salt. Variations of ingredients create flavor profiles that are unique in character. Lemon juice adds brightness and enhances the flavor. Walnuts add an earthy taste. Mint adds a touch of sweetness. Tomato and almonds combine to make pesto alla siciliana, a version from Sicily. Pesto alla calabrese from Calabria consists of grilled bell peppers and black pepper and has a distinct spicy taste. Can’t eat cheese? A Vegan pesto replaces the cheese with miso paste or vegan cheese. Pistou, made with basil, garlic and olive oil, is a French version of this sauce with origins in Provence. Pine trees are not indigenous to the region and nuts are not in a traditional pistou.
Serve it Up!
Pea Pesto Chickpea Pasta is a beautiful dish to look at. A true feast for the eyes and the tastebuds! Serve with a chilled glass of F. Steven Millier Angels Reserve Lodi Pinot Grigio from Naked Wines.
Pea Pesto Chickpea Pasta
Equipment
- 1 Large pot or pasta pot with strainer
- 1 medium sized pot
- Food processor
- Spatula
- Colander
- skillet
Ingredients
PASTA
- 8 oz chickpea pasta shells any pasta can substitute
- 8 cups water
GARNISH
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- ½ cup chopped cashews
- Parmesan cheese to taste
- 2 basil tips
PEA PESTO
- 1 cup basil leaves, see note below 1.25 oz package
- 1 cup frozen green peas, blanched
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup chopped cashews Substitution: pine nuts, walnuts
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 cloves peeled garlic
- ½ tsp salt, to taste
Instructions
READ ENTIRE RECIPE/NOTES AND GATHER EQUIPMENT AND INGREDIENTS
MAKE THE PESTO – Yields 1 cup
- Blanch the frozen green peas in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove peas from the water and set aside.
- Wash basil and remove the leaves from the stems. Retain 2 tips with leaves for garnish.
- Add peas and basil leaves to the bowl of the processor.
- Pulse just enough to begin to break down the leaves of the basil.
- Add 2 tbsp of the extra virgin olive oil. Reserve the rest for later.
- Add 2 cloves of peeled garlic.
- Add grated Parmesan, chopped cashews, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt.
- Add extra virgin olive oil, about a tbsp. at a time, and pulse the mixture until it has the consistency of a thick paste.
- Taste and make adjustments.
- Remove pesto from the processor bowl and place in a container. A spatula helps get all the yummy bits.
- Place a plastic wrap tightly over the top until ready to serve.
MAKE THE PASTA AND GARNISH
- Place chopped cashews in a dry heated skillet. Stir and cook until they begin to brown. Remove cashews immediately from the skillet, place in a container and set aside. See note below.
- Fill a medium sized pot with water and bring to a boil. Blanch frozen green peas for 30 seconds and remove from the cooking water. Don't overcook. You want the peas to retain a firm texture and green color. Set aside.
- Fill a large pot with 8 cups of water and bring to a boil.
- Add chickpea pasta shells to the large pot. Stirring occasionally, cook until al dente – about 8 minutes. See note below.
- Remove pasta from the cooking water.
SERVE IT UP!
- Place pasta in a bowl. Add ¼ – ½ cup of pea pesto and garnish with green peas, toasted cashews and basil tip.
- Add Parmesan for additional flavor.
Notes
Chickpea Pasta: Chickpea pasta has more protein and fiber in comparison to wheat pasta and half the carbs. A 3.5 oz serving yields 22g protein, 8g fiber and 48g net carbs. 3.5 oz of wheat pasta yields 13g protein, 3g fiber and 71g net carbs.
Measuring Basil Leaves: Pack the leaves into a measuring cup. 1.25 oz yields approximately 1 cup.
Food Processor: Depending upon the size of your processor, you will need to make adjustments to how much you can add to the bowl. If you have a mini size, you can fit 3-5 cups of ingredients. I recommend start small and add as you go. The basil leaves will take up a lot of space and it’s easier to add ingredients after these are pulsed and broken down.
Adding Salt: Parmesan is salty and little additional salt is needed. However, if you like more salt, I advise to add it in small amounts. Once it’s added, it’s impossible to take away.
Al Dente: Al dente is an Italian term and means “to the tooth”. The pasta is taken out of the water as soon as it absorbs the moisture but still has some uncooked starch at the core/center. It has a “bite” or firm texture. Every pasta brand has a recommendation for cooking time, so it is hard to make a precise determination for when al dente is achieved. About 3 minutes before the recommended cooking time ends, remove a piece of pasta from the cooking water. Bite or cut into it and examine the center. The starchy core should be visible but not dominant. The pasta should not be hard to chew but have some texture. Overcooked pasta will be gummy or mushy.
Nuts: Pine nuts are small and soft. They will break down easily when pulsed in a food processor. Walnuts, cashews or other larger oily nuts will break down more easily if they are chopped into small pieces before adding to the processor.
Toasting Nuts: Oily nuts heat up very quickly and will burn before you realize it. Do not walk away from the stovetop when toasting. As soon as they begin to brown, watch carefully. Remove them from the skillet before they become too dark and bitter. Do not turn off the skillet and let them sit. They will continue to cook and burn before you realize it.
Garlic: Pesto is traditionally made with garlic. Depending upon your tolerance as well as taste, I advise that less is more. If the pesto has too much garlic, it will become acrid and bitter and overwhelmed with dominant garlic flavor.
Storing Pesto: Pesto can be made ahead of time, even up to a few days. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap until ready to use and store it in the fridge. The plastic should be touching the top of the pesto. The basil will darken when it is exposed to air, so to keep it bright green, wrap it correctly. You can bring it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature when you are ready to use it.
Juicing Lemons: Commercially grown lemons tend to have thick skins. Press and roll the lemon on a hard surface to loosen up the flesh and release the juice. Zest the lemon first, if the recipe calls for it, and then cut into it for the juice.
Zesting Lemons: The volume of zest really depends upon the type of zester you are using. A tbsp. of zest from a micro zester will look very different from zest from a medium grade zester. 1-2 tsp. from a micro zester should equal 1 tbsp. from a medium grade zester. How many lemons will it take? That depends on the size of the lemon. These days, they are almost as big as softballs from the big box stores like Costco. One of those should do it! But if your lemons are small, then it might take 2-3. Try to get every bit of yellow flesh off the fruit. Leave the white pith behind.