Cacio e pepe chickpeas
Here’s a versatile little recipe we initially created to pair with our game-changing roasted peperonata, but it’s one we’ve enjoyed in many other tasty combinations since, and more often than not, simply on its own. It is so so SO deeply flavoursome and comforting it needs little else other than a sharp green salad to recommend itself.
Cacio e pepe means cheese and pepper; it’s a famous pasta dish from Rome often served with spaghetti. We love the fact that it doesn’t look like much - it’s creamy, pale, and seemingly unexciting - and then BAM! The combination of parmesan and black pepper is so wonderfully intense.
Good chickpeas make all the difference; for this dish to have the right texture they ought to be soft, plump and fully cooked. From time to time we treat ourselves to a jar of Navaricchio chickpeas which are truly unreal. It beggars belief that a humble, undressed pulse could be quite so extraordinary, with such a rich, buttery texture, but there you go! If you are using tinned chickpeas that feel a little firm, simmer these very gently before including in the recipe (we’ve included this step in the method below).
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
This recipe serves 2 as part of a larger meal.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion
2 stalks celery
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp flakey sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup (125 ml) white wine
4 tbsp crème fraîche
4 heaped tbsp freshly grated parmesan
Method:
If your chickpeas are firm, rinse them well, cover generously with cold water, and bring them to a gentle simmer over a medium/low heat. Simmer for 10-20 minutes until they’ve softened further; drain and keep to one side until needed.
Start by finely dicing the onion, finely slicing the celery, and peeling and finely slicing the garlic.
Heat the oil in a small/medium saucepan over a medium heat, and once hot add the onion and celery to sauté.
After 4 minutes add the garlic, oregano, sea salt and pepper; stir well and continue cooking over a low heat for a further 8 minutes.
Once the onions etc are looking soft, slightly golden and well-caramelised (now approximately 12 minutes in total) add the drained and rinsed chickpeas. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
After 2 minutes add the white wine and simmer for 6-8 minutes, or until the wine had almost entirely evaporated.
Turn off the heat and stir through the crème fraîche and freshly grated parmesan. Serve immediately in warmed bowls. We recommend trying this with our game-changing roasted peperonata.
A vegcentric wine pairing? Valpolicella Ripasso.
This one is a contrasting pairing, rather than congruent one. Bold red fruit flavours, grippy tannins and high acidity cut through the creamy, cheesy, peppery chickpeas wonderfully. Opposites, as they say, indeed attract.
Read more on what makes Valpolicella Ripasso such a unique and interesting red wine here.