Pesto Pasta with Chickpeas
| Serves | 150 |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Pasta, Vegetables |
| Menu Part | Entree |
| Cuisine Type | Mediterranean |
This dish infuses healthy Mediterranean flavors into an accessible pasta dish, great for K-12. The pasta features pesto, chickpeas, diced tomatoes and green beans.
Ingredients
Pesto
4 bunches basil, remove stems, washed, dried
2 cups oil
1 tsp. garlic, chopped in oil
1 cup chickpeas
Salt and pepper to taste
Chickpea Stew
7 ½ cans chickpeas, drained
2 ½ cans diced tomatoes, drained, reserve juice
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. black pepper
10 lbs. whole-grain pasta
5 gal. water
1 cup oil
5 lbs. green beans, frozen
Steps
1. Prepare Pesto by adding half basil, half oil, garlic, salt and pepper to food processor. Scrape bowl and add rest of basil and chickpeas while processor is running. Drizzle rest of oil and puree until smooth. Transfer to hotel pan, cover and refrigerate until service.
2. Make Chickpea Stew by placing chickpeas, tomatoes, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper and half tomato liquid into 4-in. deep hotel pans. Mix well. Cover with foil and cook in preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 45 mins. Add more liquid as needed to keep beans from drying out.
3. While beans are stewing, cook pasta in salted, boiling water until al dente.
4. In perforated 2-in. hotel pan, steam green beans for 5 mins.
5. In large bowl or hotel pan, toss hot pasta, green beans and enough pesto to coat pasta well.
Recipe by Jorge Callazo, New York City schools