By: chezchanelle
RECIPES, ,

Fresh Pasta with Crispy Chickpeas, Prosciutto & Kale

There is seriously nothing like a giant bowl of fresh pasta! I personally love a pasta where there is little sauce but instead – lots of varied toppings so each bite is a different experience. This was one of those recipes that was created based on simply what I had kicking around and it turned out to be so yummy, I knew I had to share!

I love the contrasting flavours and textures from this recipe; there is freshness from the kale, earthiness from the chickpeas, salty goodness from the prosciutto and then richness from the truffle oil yolk – this pasta recipe really has it all!

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh linguine pasta (homemade or store bought)
  • 150g thinly sliced Prosciutto
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp white truffle oil
  • 1 large handful green kale, stems removed and roughy chopped
  • 1 can (14 ounce) chickpeas, drained and patted dry
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1/2 cup olive oil (divided)
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zested 
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese + more for topping
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Preparation:

  1. Egg: Using your fingers, gently separate the yolk of an egg and discard the white. In a small bowl, add 1 tbsp of truffle oil and gently submerge the yolk. Allow yolk to rest in the oil while you make everything else so it soaks up as much of the truffle flavour as possible.
  2. Kale: Wash the kale and separate the leaves from the stem and roughly chop. Using a vegetable steamer, steam kale for 1-2 minutes until just slightly wilted. Set aside.
  3. Crispy Chickpeas and Prosciutto: Heat a large skillet with 1/4 cup olive oil to high heat. Rinse and pat dry the chickpeas and add to the hot skillet. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning often, until browned and crispy. For the last 3 minutes, add strips of prosciutto to the pan to crisp. Remove from heat and remove the chickpeas and prosciutto from the skillet to set aside.
  4. Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions.
  5. Return the skillet used for the chickpeas and prosciutto to medium heat and add the remaining olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the butter and cook for about 1 minute more. Add the kale, chickpeas and prosciutto and stir to combine.
  6. When the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the skillet and gently incorporate the pasta with the kale, prosciutto and chickpeas. Once combined, add the parmesan cheese, lemon juice and zest tossing again gently to incorporate cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Serve with yolk on top and drizzle the excess truffle oil over the pasta. Top with more parmesan cheese (to taste) and serve immediately.