Chickpeas and Kale in Spicy Pomodoro Sauce

Skip the chickpea pasta and just have the real thing. You’ll never find a better carb-free version of the carb-iest cuisine you know. The red sauce still has nothing on Grandma, though.

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 (28 oz) can whole peeled Italian tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp crushed red pepper

Kosher salt, to taste

1 bunch Tuscan kale, stemmed and chopped

2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Fresh basil and marjoram leaves, for serving

Pecorino Romano, freshly grated, for serving

Preparation

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and pressing the tomatoes with the back of a spoon as they cook, until broken down and the sauce is thickened, about 25 minutes.

2. Stir the kale into the sauce and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt. Spoon into bowls, scatter with torn basil and marjoram, and top with freshly grated Pecorino Romano. Serve immediately.

Notes

Inspired by Food & Wine.