Basilicata: Lagane and Chickpeas

Serves 4

For preparing the pasta
400 g Semolina di Grano Duro Rimacinata
210 g water

For the sauce
400 g Dried Chickpeas
500 g Tomato Puree
45 g extra virgin olive oil
1 Garlic clove
1 Fresh Chilli Pepper
Salt, pepper, thyme

Basilicata: Lagane and Chickpeas. Soak the dried chickpeas in cold water (at least 12 hours, preferably for 1 whole day). Drain and boil in a large pot for 75 to 90 minutes. Pour the remilled semolina and the water at room temperature into a bowl a little at a time. Knead the dough by hand in the bowl until smooth and homogeneous. Cover the ball-shaped dough with cling film and leave to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Remove the seeds from the fresh chilli, chop it and fry it in a large frying pan with oil and the clove of garlic cut in half. Drain the chickpeas and add them to the pan, sauté for 5 minutes, adding salt, pepper and thyme. Add the tomato puree and cook on a low flame for 20-25 minutes until creamy at the end. Divide the dough into bite-sized pieces and roll them out to a thickness of 2 millimetres (with a rolling pin or pasta machine). Obtain a thin strip of dough to roll onto itself. Cut each roll of dough into 2 cm thick pieces. Place the resulting lagane on a lightly floured tray and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Cook the lagane in salted water for a few seconds, drain and transfer to the pan with the chickpeas, stir for a few moments and serve the lagane with chickpeas piping hot. Choose a well-structured red wine to accompany the lagane and chickpeas, such as a Rosso di Montalcino or a Barbera d’Alba.