What's your comfort food?
So this is what it looks like when I'm sick. (Or at least what my stove looks like.)
I'm at the tail end of what I think is a sinus infection, and you know how it is: everything's gross, everything's, um, drain-y. And for some reason, when I am like this, I crave only two things: peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches, and my favorite pasta-chickpea dish.
This pasta recipe was introduced to me by a lovely woman who worked with me at my first NYC job (a now-defunct magazine called Expedia Travels). I had just moved to the city, and although I had a job, I did not have a home. I searched for an apartment after work, and afterwards spent my nights sleeping on friends' couches and blow-up mattresses.
After a couple weeks of looking, my coworker Kathleen took pity on me and offered to let me crash for a weekend at her home on Long Island. She was amazing--completely generous, upbeat and adorable, and a clearly trusting of even the newest of friends. We had a great time in her modest home talking about boys, staying up late, drinking wine, and eating dinner in her comfy kitchen.
The first night I was there, she welcomed me with a good ole' salad and pasta supper. The pasta dish was made with chickpeas, olive oil, and garlic served over bow-tie pasta and topped with Parmesan. It's nothing fancy, but for some reason--I don't know if it was the generosity with which it was made, the relief of being new in town and having someone take care of me, or the extreme carbohydrate count--it struck a chord with me. I've been whipping it up for myself ever since.
And you know what's strange? I can make this dish in my sleep, but I've never made it for anyone but me (okay, save for one friend ONCE--and only because she was a vegetarian and I have no other veg dishes up my sleeve). In a way, I hog (literally, figuratively) this pasta love all for myself.
But here's some love for you: if you have a sinus infection/cold/flu situation sometime soon, throw this on the stove and thank me later. It's warm and filling and loaded with good, happy feelings. And also carbs. Wonderful, wonderful carbs.
Kathleen's Chickpea Pasta
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 can chickpeas
Extra-virgin olive oil
Whole-wheat penne or bow-tie pasta
Parmesan cheese, shredded
In a saucepan, brown the garlic lightly over medium heat. Add chickpeas, and mix for 1 minute. Add olive oil (enough to just cover the chickpeas). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Slow boil for about 25 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve over pasta and top with Parmesan. Also great with broccoli spears and chopped asparagus (and even topped with walnuts). Serves 3
And you? What's YOUR comfort food?
Easy Recipes
Reader Comments (14)
Sweet story :) I'm with you on the pb&j although truth be told, it's a staple of my lunches, even In Paris! Otherwise, I'd say that a big bowl of spaghetti with my grandfathers homemade chunky tomato sauce cures all that ails me!
sorry you are sick!!! get better soon.
since you like pasta with chick peas you have to try this -
Jamie Oliver has a very nice recipe for a soup called Pasta e Ceci in his book Jamie's Italy.
Serves 4
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 stick of celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
A sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 14-oz. cans of chickpeas
2 1/4 cups of chicken stock
3 1/2 oz. ditalini or other small Italian "soup" pasta
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional: a small handful of fresh basil or parsley, leaves picked and torn
Put the finely chopped onion, celery, and garlic into a saucepan with a little extra virgin olive oil and the rosemary and cook as gently as possible, with the lid on, for about 15-20 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft, without any color.
Drain your chickpeas well and rinse them in cold water, then add them to the pan and cover with the stock. Cook gently for half an hour and then, using a slotted spoon, remove half the chickpeas and put them to one side in a bowl.
Puree the soup in the pan using a handheld immersion blender. If you don't have one, you can whiz it up in a food processor instead, then pour it back into the pan. Add the reserved whole chickpeas and the pasta, season the soup with salt and pepper, and simmer gently until the chickpeas are tender and the pasta is cooked.
At this point, if the soup is a little thick, pour in some boiling water from the kettle to thin it down, and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve drizzled with good-quality extra virgin olive oil. Lovely sprinkled with some freshly torn basil or parsley. A real treat.
Michele, thank you! I can't wait to try this--right up my alley.
A fried rice with bacon and egg that my dad taught me to make when I was 15. Ever since I've always had some bacon and eggs in my fridge ready for when I'm craving it.
such a touching story. thanks for sharing.
my comfort food is lipton noodle soup. something about the smell of it automatically makes me feel better. PLUS you don't even really have to "make" it...just a pot of water and a stove. So, it doesn't really stand up to your beautiful pasta dish...but it has the same end effect!
Sorta pathetic in comparison with your lovely pasta, but my sick comfort food is good ole saltines. Whether my stomach is upset or my throat is scratchy or I just feel like crap, those boring salty crackers are what I want. More importantly, I don't have to make them. :)
First of all missy, why is this your only vegetarian recipe?!!!???!! Do you need me to share some amazing vegetarian recipes with you?
Second of all, my favorite comfort food is tea... not sure if that counts. But generally that is the most comforting thing to me in the world (besides having my mom look after me, but those days are gone!)
Oh dude, I love saltines.
Y-E-S Kendall! Send me some recipes A-S-A-P!
What a great story and recipe - adding asparagus (or brussel sprouts?!) and walnuts would be so, so delicious! Thank you for sharing - recipes with stories are very special. My favorite comfort foods include anything with pasta - especially spaghetti and meat sauce and chicken spaghetti. And - grilled cheese + pumpkin soup. What a great topic! xoxoxo
Mom's spaghetti....seriously, if I am ever in dire straights and have to request a 'last meal,' her sauce will be what I take with me. Thx for the recipe. Hope you are better soon....I think your bug is MNF-withdrawal related.
xoxo
Mac & cheese! Hope you're feeling better :)
it is really good! let me know if you like it.