A few months ago I started cooking with whole wheat pasta because I was working on family-friendly recipes for a charity cookbook. Whole wheat pastas are loaded with protein and fiber so it's a really easy way to help kids get more of both. I tried some whole wheat spaghetti for John and me one night. The preparation was simple -- just 10 shallots and cheese dressed it -- but from the first nutty-delicious bite I was hooked! The earthy, nutty flavor of chickpeas is a natural complement as well. Here I let a couple of dip-n-spread favorites inspire a hearty vegetarian sauce.
Heat a large pot of water to a boil, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.
While water boils heat extra-virgin olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes then add the eggplant and chick peas and stir to coat. Season the chick peas and eggplant with cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, cover with lid and allow to cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and continue to cook until eggplant has broken down, about another 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the vegetables from the pan and place into a food processor fitted with blade attachment. Add the vegetable stock and tahini paste and process until a sauce consistency. Add the sauce back to the saucepan and heat over low heat until ready to serve.
Add a ladle of starchy cooking liquid to the sauce, drain pasta and toss pasta with chickpea-eggplant sauce 1 minute then top with parsley and pine nuts. Place into a serving dish.
Tools You May Need
Tools You May Need
Price and stock may change after publish date, and we may make money off
these links.
By entering your email address, you agree to our Terms of Use
and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
Food Network and
its affiliates
may use your email address to provide updates, ads, and offers.
To withdraw your consent or learn more about your rights, see the
Privacy Policy.