Ingredients
- 1 cup Flour + Water Elbow Macaroni
- 1 large lemon
- 3 tablespoons plus ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large zucchini, cut into small cubes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2-3 anchovies packed in oil
- 1 clove garlic, grated or finely minced
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
- ⅓ cup pecorino romano, plus more to serve
Method
Prepare the lemon: Zest the lemon and set aside in a small bowl. Cut three slices from the lemon, removing any seeds, and reserve the remaining lemon half for finishing the dish.
In a medium pot heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add in the lemon slices and brown for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove the lemon slices and set aside for garnishing.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the zucchini to the lemon-inflused oil, season with salt, and cook until the zucchini is browned and tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the anchovies and grated garlic to the zucchini and stir until the anchovy is dissolved and that garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the chickpeas with their liquid and the 6 cups of water to the pot. Season with salt to taste and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the Flour and Water Elbows to the pot, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the elbows are al dente and the chickpeas are tender.
While the pasta is cooking make the lemon-basil oil: Add the basil, reserved lemon zest, and ⅓ cup olive oil to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the basil is broken down and the mixture is well combined. Season with salt to taste.
Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pot from heat. Squeeze in the juice of the reserved lemon half and stir in the pecorino romano cheese.
Serve the pasta e ceci immediately. Garnish with the caramelized lemon slices, drizzle with lemon-basil oil, and sprinkle with additional pecorino romano, if desired.
