Step by Step recipes

Lasagna with chickpeas

This is a first course from the Calabria region, with its characteristic sheets of pasta reflecting an age-old tradition.

  • Time

    1 hour and 30 minutes

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Course

    First Courses

  • Italian Region

    Calabria

Ingredients

Servings 4

For pasta

  • 1 lb all-purpose flour
  • 4 eggs

for the soup

Preparation

30 minutes preparation + 1 hour cooking

Step 1

Make a dough from the flour and egg, and roll it out into many thin sheets. With the aid of a knife, cut into sheets.

Lasagna with chickpeas - step 1

Step 2

Leave the chickpeas to soften in water and bicarbonate for about 12 hours. Drain them and cook them in a pan with water and salt, a drop of oil and a bay leaf.
Blanch and peel the tomatoes, remove their seeds and toss them in a pan with a little oil. Season with salt and pepper and then purée them. Keep hot.
In a pan containing the rest of the oil, gently fry the finely chopped onion, celery and garlic and flavour with the wild fennel.

Lasagna with chickpeas - step 2

Step 3

Add the chickpeas with a little cooking liquid, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and continue cooking.

Lasagna with chickpeas - step 3

Step 4

Cook the pasta in abundant boiling salted water. Remember to stir frequently to avoid it sticking. Once it is cooked, drain it.

Lasagna with chickpeas - step 4

Step 5

In a large pan, add the tomato sauce to the chickpeas and adjust the seasoning. Add the pasta sheets, mix and serve piping hot. Sprinkle everything with the grated Parmesan.

Lasagna with chickpeas - step 5

Chef's Tips

The chickpeas must be softened to reduce the cooking times and to avoid them breaking up. The chickpeas must be carefully washed after soaking to eliminate all the impurities.