lemony spring greens pasta puttanesca with crispy chickpeas
This dish is a great way to use up those spring greens you have in the fridge. Spring greens include spinach, turnip greens, beet greens, bok choy, swiss chard, nettles, and more. Feel free to use any of these or a combination of a few different kinds. The earthy flavor of the greens goes so well with the brightness of the lemon, the brininess of the olives and capers, the garlic, and the spiciness from the red pepper flakes. The crispy chickpeas add great texture and pops of spicy flavor. Everything comes together quickly, making this a great weeknight dish. At the same time, the elevated flavors make this nice for sharing with family or friends throughout the spring and summer. I have dreams of sharing this with loved ones at a table outside with lots of flowers and candles as the sun is setting and lightning bugs are starting to emerge.
lemony spring greens pasta puttanesca with crispy chickpeas
ingredients
crispy chickpeas
1 - 14 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt
fresh cracked black pepper
1/8-1/4 tsp Kashmiri chili powder or red pepper flakes (optional but recommended)
lemony spring greens puttanesca pasta
1 lb spaghetti (feel free to use gluten free if needed!)
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic (5-6 cloves, if small), minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/3 heaping cup of pitted green olives, finely chopped
3-4 tbsp capers, drained and finely chopped
salt
4-5 packed cups of spring greens (spinach, turnip greens, etc.)
lemon zest from one lemon (or more to taste)
lemon juice from 1/2 lemon (or more to taste)
freshly cracked black pepper
basil, parsley, and/or oregano chopped for topping (use just one, a combination of two, or all three!) (optional but highly recommended)
parmigiano reggiano or nutritional yeast for topping (optional)
instructions
Start making the crispy chickpeas. Preheat the oven to 415 F. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and dry them off as much as possible (sometimes I’ll do this by laying them out on a cookie sheet to dry while I’m doing the other prep for the dish).
Prepare a cookie sheet. Add chickpeas, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch or two of salt, and ¼ tsp Kashmiri chili or red pepper flakes to the cookie sheet and mix so that the oil and seasonings are evenly distributed over the chickpeas. Put in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown and have a crispy, crunchy texture. Check halfway through and mix them around.
Cook the pasta according to package instructions (and be sure that your water is properly salted!).
While the pasta is cooking, start on the puttanesca. Put a wide pan, large pasta pot, or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
Once the oil is heated, turn heat down to medium-low and add the chopped garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, but making sure that the garlic doesn’t brown.
Add chopped olives, capers, and ¼ tsp of salt. Stir and cook for 10-12 minutes until all the flavors have blended together. If things start to brown, turn the heat down.
Add the cooked pasta, ¾-1 tsp of salt, and stir until all of the pasta is coated in the oil and olive, caper, garlic mixture.
Add the greens and stir until they’re slightly wilted. Turn off heat.
Add lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir until combined. Taste. Feel free to add more lemon, red pepper flakes, or salt as needed.
Serve the pasta and top with the crispy chickpeas, any chopped herbs of your choice, black pepper, and the parmigiano reggiano or nutritional yeast, if using.
Happy eating!
