This chickpea rotini pasta with a creamy mushroom sauce was my first experiment with chickpea pasta. And it did not totally disappoint…
I like to try these pastas made from different grains and legumes, especially because they are nutritionally richer than regular wheat pasta. Last week I prepared chickpea pasta for the first time. This chickpea pasta has four times the amount of fiber of regular pasta and three times the protein (all for the same number of calories). So, if this is a way to get more fiber and protein in our diet, I give it a shot.
I had tried quinoa pasta in the past and I did not like it,
the texture was too sandy and dry, but this chickpea rotini was smoother and
less dry. Flavor wise it had a slight unrecognizable flavor that did not bother
me and it was hard to tell what was exactly. I actually did not tell my family
what type of pasta was it and they could not figure it out.
I prepared this chickpea rotini with creamy mushroom sauce that is a classic in our house and I would say that everyone was happy with it. My son ate two full plates and my daughter just said it was a bit dry…
Now, will I replace all the regular pasta from our diet for the chickpea pasta? Nope. As much as the chickpea pasta is nutritionally better than the regular one, taste and texture wise there is nothing like regular pasta (and I’m sure my family would agree with me). It did not thrill me that much to the point of switching and stop eating wheat pasta, but I would definitely try it again. Next time I will do it with a tomato-based sauce, will see how it tastes…
Chickpea pasta with a delicious creamy mushroom sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
1 small onion
14 oz (400 g) baby bella mushrooms
13 oz chickpea rotini pasta
1 pint heavy cream
1.5 oz brandy
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Instructions
Finely chop the onion and sauté with olive oil at low heat until golden, about 10 min.
Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 min more.
Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add brandy to the pan and flambee (be careful if you are not familiar with the technique-see notes below).
Add heavy cream, turn the heat down and cook for 8-9 min stirring occasionally until the sauce has reduced a bit.
In the meantime, cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the sauce. Mix well and enjoy!
Notes
You can obviously use any type of pasta for this recipe. I have prepared it many times with regular wheat pasta and it is delicious.
To flambee the brandy just pour it into the pan and immediately lit it using a cooking lighter, it will quickly set the pan on fire. Slightly shake the pan by the handle until all the alcohol has been consumed. It can be scary the first time you do it. Just be very careful when lighting it up. You can also omit the brandy if you don’t feel like flambeeing it.
