There’s been a natural progression in my posts lately. The Vegetable Stock led to Minestrone and now the Minestrone has resulted in the need to revisit Garbanzo Beans. I made a large batch of beans and I was bound and determined to use them all. Mama D owed it to herself to be frugal and creative. So the fiber rich adventure continues.
The article from Fine Cooking Magazine featured a number of recipes. The pasta recipe inspired me to come up with my own pasta and chickpeas dish.
I love bacon. I love it on its own and in the company of other ingredients. Lately my favorite is thick cut pepper bacon. I’ve been using it in many savory recipes. There are all kinds of dishes that benefit from this peppery pork product and pasta is a great canvas.
The magazine article used the liquid that the garbanzos were cooked in and I had saved my cooking water, so I used it too. A word about the cooking water. It was gelatinous and a lovely amber color. Quite different from the slightly slimy water in the canned variety. So this liquid would be the base of my pasta sauce. Onions and garlic had to join in the fun along with some red pepper flakes and spinach. Penne pasta seemed like the perfect partner with its ridges to hold what was sure to be a tasty sauce and a size that was geometrically complimentary to the chickpeas. So, here’s Mama D’s newest pasta creation.
I had more chickpeas left and wanting to waste not, there was one more recipe to try, Hummus. Hummus is so versatile. We all know it as a party appetizer, but it is also great as a sandwich spread instead of mayonaise or as my friend Dave suggested, on your morning bagel. The basic recipe uses chickpeas, tahini which is sesame paste, and olive oil. There is usually lemon and garlic in the mix as well. Herbs, spices and any other additions that tickle the cooks fancy are welcome to the party. For this go around, I opted for Cumin, Smoked Paprika, and Chipotle Tabasco Sauce.
The garbanzo beans, having provided several delicious meals, are gone. They will not be forgotten. They will grace the stove in Mama D’s Kitchen, again soon. They really are a pot of golden love.
That pasta sounds so good, love chickpeas, where did you get the peppered bacon?
I’ve gotten Farmland Brand at Woodman’s Butera and Walmart. Walmart also makes its own brand of pepper Bacon. Meijer has just recently started carrying their own Slab pepper bacon.