Fusilli with Chickpeas, Zucchini, Basil Pesto, and Mozzarella

Fusilli tossed with canned chickpeas, rinsed, zucchini, and basil pesto. Save some pasta water. It is the difference between a sauce that coats and one that sits in a puddle. Serves 4.

Serves 4 · 35 min · Dinner

contains nuts

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Ingredients

Units: US Metric

Scale: ½× – 4× with Plus →

440 g canned chickpeas, rinsed
360 g fusilli
280 g zucchini
0.8 g black pepper
3.2 g kosher salt
60 g low-moisture mozzarella
60 g fresh basil
2 clove garlic
60 ml olive oil
48 g Parmesan
32 g pine nuts

Steps

Bring 3600 ml water to a rolling boil and salt it with about 8 g salt. Add 360 g fusilli and cook until tender with a firm center, about 11 minutes. Reserve a mug of the water, then drain.
Season 440 g canned chickpeas, rinsed with a little salt. Cook it in a wide skillet with a spoon of the sauce's oil or butter until hot and coated in the sauce, about 4 minutes. Add 280 g zucchini and cook until just tender.
Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the skillet and simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water if it looks thick.
Toss the drained fusilli with the sauce in the skillet. Fold in 60 g low-moisture mozzarella. Add more pasta water a spoon at a time until the sauce clings. Serve immediately.

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This is a variation — Zucchini instead of Spinach; Mozzarella instead of Parmesan. Base recipe: Fusilli with Chickpeas, Spinach, Basil Pesto, and Parmesan →

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Source

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