Melissa's Whole Wheat Pasta with Chick Peas and Spinach

Melissa, a beekeeper from the Greek Isles, has returned to us this spring. The Greek muse Terpsichore, who is her mother, dropped her off at our door and went to do some shopping in Douglas while M played us some beautiful music on the lyre. After her brief concert, M made us the most delicious lunch, of which the recipe follows:

Ingredients

8 oz. whole-wheat corkscrew pasta - cooked to package directions. Be generous with the salt, it adds a lot of extra flavor. Retain about 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.

2 TBL olive oil
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
One-half medium red onion, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained
12 - 16 oz. bag fresh spinach
One-half cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

Sauté garlic and red onion in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until just starting to brown. Add chickpeas, toss to coat and cook another 5 - 7 minutes. Add the spinach and about a half-cup of the reserved pasta water, toss to coat and cook until spinach has wilted. The pasta water should start to make a light sauce. Add drained pasta and a few more tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to the veggie pan, tossing to coat. Keep adding pasta water until the sauce has achieved the desired consistency. Remove to a serving platter and top with the freshly grated cheese and ground pepper to taste.

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