Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Fried Chic Peas

We picked up some broccoli rabe today and I had planned on making a dish I make often, Pasta with Broccoli Rabe. It's quick, easy, and delicious. Sometimes I change it up and add sausage, like in this dish, Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe.

I was looking for something a little different, so decided on this recipe for Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Fried Chic Peas. I made a few changes, noted in italics below.

Ingredients

• 1 pound orecchiette pasta (little ear-shaped pasta) or penne (I couldn't find orecchiette, so I used medium shells, about 10 oz)
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 15 1/2-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), well drained (I only used 1 can and it was more than enough)
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh sage (I didn't have sage, and wanted something bolder, so used 6 cloves sliced garlic instead of the 4 listed above)
• 1 1-pound bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
• Added: 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions

• Cook orecchiette in large pot of boiling salted water until pasta is tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, melt butter with olive oil in another large pot over high heat.
• Add garlic and stir 30 seconds.
• Add garbanzo beans and sauté until garbanzo beans are beginning to color, about 8 minutes.
• Add half of sliced fresh sage and sauté 1 minute to blend flavors. This is when I added the red pepper flakes.
• Add broccoli rabe, wine, and 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid to pot. Cover and simmer until broccoli rabe is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
• Uncover and add pasta, remaining sage, and Parmesan cheese; toss to combine.
• Mix in more of reserved cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if pasta is dry.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to large bowl and serve.

I enjoyed this. Jon was a bit freaked out by the texture of the chic peas, but I liked that they added a bit of protein to this vegetarian meal.