Casarecce with Chickpeas & Lemon

Method

1. Place the chickpeas and a few celery leaves in a bowl and cover them with water. Soak them overnight.
2. Sieve the flour directly onto a wooden board and form a well in the centre with your fingertips. Discard any remnants left in the sieve.
3. Gradually add the tepid water and lemon zest into the well and mix with your fingertips or a fork. Slowly introduce the flour to the water mixture, being careful to not break the walls of the volcano. Form the mixture into a soft pliable dough, kneading with the heels of your hands as you go. This will take around 7–10 minutes.
4. Cover the dough and allow to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes at room temperature.
5. Halve the dough. Cover the half you are not using so it does not dry out.
6. Cut the dough into 5 pieces. Roll each piece into long sausages, the thickness of your little finger.
7. Cut each sausage piece into 3cm lengths. Dust the dough pieces with a little Krivert flour to prevent sticking.
8. Using a ferro (metal spoke) or wooden skewer, indent each piece of dough, leaving a narrow indent.
9. Repeat and use up the remaining pasta dough. Set aside the pasta, dust with a little flour and prepare the sauce.
10. Drain the chickpeas and reserve the liquid.
11. Add the oil to a medium saucepan along with the chopped shallot and celery. Cook over a medium heat until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and stir.
12. Pour in the tomato polpa along with 200ml of the reserved chickpea water.
13. Tumble in the soaked chickpeas and season with salt, pepper, tomato puree, oregano and chilli flakes. Cook for 30 minutes over a medium heat.
14. Add the juice of half a lemon. Stir and cook for an additional 15 minutes, checking the doneness of the chickpeas.
15. Add the basil leaves to finish and taste.
16. Cook the pasta in a pan of salted water for 3 – 4 minutes. Drain the pasta and reserve a small glass of the pasta water.
17. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir, use a little pasta water if necessary to loosen the pasta.
18. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a little grated vegan cheese as necessary.