Sometimes simple is best. I decided to make this dish on a whim to use up some pantry contents. Feel free to use this recipe as a guideline to create a meal with whatever you have on hand. xx

INGREDIENTS:

• Roasted garlic (~5 cloves)
• Olive oil for sautéing
• 1 small red onion or shallot, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• ~1/4 cup of white wine (optional)
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives or olives of choice, chopped
• 1 jar of your favorite store bought or homemade tomato sauce (I used Thrive Market’s Sicilian Gravy
• 6 – 8 servings of penne pasta, or pasta of choice (I love gluten free lentil or brown rice pasta)
• 1 cup of chickpeas, roughly chopped
• ~1/4 cup of fresh parsley leaves, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 415°F.
• Coat garlic cloves (with the skin on) in 1-2 tsp of olive oil. Wrap in parchment paper and roast in oven for 25 minutes or until the cloves are soft and golden brown.
• Bring a large pot with water to a boil. Add salt and pasta of choice. Cook according to box instructions.
• In another large pot, place ~1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Add dried basil, salt, and pepper. Continue to sauté.
• Add a splash of white wine (or water) occasionally to prevent the onions from burning.
• Add the chopped olives and chickpeas. Continue to sauté.
• Once the garlic is roasted, remove the cloves from the skins and add to the onion mixture. The garlic should be soft enough to smash in the pan to incorporate.
• Add in the tomato sauce and chopped parsley.
• Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.
• When the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the sauce. Mix until well combined and serve.
• Makes 6 – 8 servings.