Lately I have been spending much more time than I would like browsing the internet, reading the latest news about the virus and ordering stuff online that I don't really need. One positive is that I have spent more time cooking than I ever did over the past few years. One of my favorite sources for recipes is the NY Times, which has also started publishing convenient pantry-friendly recipes.

Last week I tried their pasta e ceci recipe, an Italian pasta and chickpea stew which turned out quite nice. The following day I served the leftovers as a side of cold pasta salad. I just adapted the NYT recipe with stuff I had in my own kitchen, including substituting the suggested kale (which I did not have) for baby spinach leaves. I also added fresh basil which gave it some additional flavor.

Ingredients (serves 6):

One onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
One small can chopped San Marzano tomatoes
One small can chick peas, drained
A bunch of fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp dry oregano
One box Ditalini pasta (I used Barilla)
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
Some fresh grated parmesan

In a large saucepan, heat some olive oil, add the onion and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili flakes and oregano. Mix and cook for a few minutes. Pour the chick peas and chopped tomatoes, mix well. Add 2 cups of water, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Fold in the spinach and basil leaves and serve immediately with fresh grated parmesan.