(for 4 people)

INGREDIENTS

  • 150 g re-milled durum wheat semolina
  • 150 g whole wheat flour
  • A pinch of salt
  • About 150 ml of water

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE

  • 250 g Amìo chickpeas
  • 8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 200 g turnip greens
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 dried chili pepper

INGREDIENTS FOR THE ROSEMARY OIL

  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 sprig of rosemary

PROCEDURE

  1. The night before preparation, soak the chickpeas in cold water for 12 hours. Then rinse them under running water and place them in a pot with about half a liter of water for every 100 g of chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 45–50 minutes. Add a teaspoon of coarse salt only at the end of cooking.
  2. Prepare the dough for the orecchiette by mixing the re-milled durum wheat semolina with the whole wheat flour, a pinch of salt, and about 150–170 ml of water. Knead vigorously for about ten minutes, either by hand or using a stand mixer, until the dough is elastic and not too soft. Cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.
    Take a portion of the dough at a time and roll it into a rope about 1 cm thick. Cut it into small pieces of about 1 cm. Using a knife, drag each piece across a wooden board or work surface, pulling it toward you, then turn it inside out to form the classic orecchiette shape.
  3. For the pasta sauce, place the two peeled garlic cloves and three tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and sauté gently. Then add one-third of the cooked chickpeas and continue to sauté for a couple of minutes.
  4. Take the remaining two-thirds of the chickpeas and place them in a blender with three tablespoons of olive oil, a generous pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Start blending, adding water as needed, until you get a smooth, creamy consistency.
  5. Add the chickpea cream to the sautéed chickpeas in the pan, and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed.
  6. In another pan, quickly sauté the fresh, roughly chopped turnip greens with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and half a finely chopped chili pepper.
  7. In a small bowl, combine three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with a sprig of rosemary, finely chopped.
  8. Cook the orecchiette in plenty of salted boiling water for about 5 minutes. Then drain them and toss them into the pan with the chickpea cream, mixing well to combine.
  9. Serve the orecchiette on a serving plate, garnishing them with the sautéed turnip greens and a drizzle of rosemary oil.

As a true Italian, I have an endless passion for pasta—especially when it’s homemade and paired with my favorite legume, chickpeas. It’s pure joy for me.

Pulses, so versatile and healthy, should be present in large quantities on our tables, as they were in the past when resources were scarce.

We should rediscover the past to learn how to nourish ourselves better.
Chickpeas, rich in plant-based proteins, are a great ally in the kitchen. Prepared in countless ways, they lend themselves to multiple uses, always guaranteeing excellent results.

In this dish, I wanted to bring together three excellences of Apulian cuisine: chickpeas, turnip tops, and orecchiette pasta, in a whole wheat version for an even more rustic and natural result

 

This dish is so simple and tasty, nutritious and healthy, with its genuine flavors, a true ode to Italian culinary tradition at the table.