Lazy Tomato, Chickpea, Olive & Caper Penne
A quick penne pasta with chickpeas, olives, and capers, built from simple ingredients and designed for straightforward weeknight cooking.
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Servings 2 people
Ingredients
- 160 g dried penne or rigatoni
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 1 tin chickpeas drained (≈240 g)
- 30 g olives roughly chopped
- 1 –2 tbsp capers rinsed
- 40 –50 g parmesan finely grated
- Black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste (use sparingly)
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.
- Cook pasta until al dente.
- Reserve a mug of pasta water, then drain.
Soften the base
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes until softened.
Build flavour
- Add garlic and cook for ~30 seconds.
- Stir in tomato purée and cook for 1 minute.
Add body
- Add chopped tomatoes and chickpeas.
- Lightly crush some chickpeas with a spoon.
- Simmer for 8–10 minutes.
Finish the sauce
- Stir in olives and capers.
- Season with black pepper and minimal salt.
Combine
- Add pasta with a splash of pasta water.
- Remove from heat and stir in most of the parmesan.
- Serve with remaining parmesan on top.