Summer Pasta for Meatless Monday

This recipe arrived in my email a few days ago from Lynne Rossetto Kasper's The Splendid Table. She got the recipe from The Very Best of Recipes for Health: 250 Recipes and More from the Popular Feature on NYTimes.com (Rodale, 2010). Copyright © 2010 by Martha Rose Shulman. Whew! I think I gave all the right people credit. It's a great little recipe and I heartily suggest you make it, soon, while the local gardens are bursting with home-grown tomatoes and gorgeous fresh basil! This dish will only be as good as the tomatoes you use. Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved, would also work. The addition of my favorite chickpeas makes this colorful and festive one-dish meal perfect for Meatless Monday or any day!

Summer Pasta with Tomatoes and Chickpeas
4 servings
1-1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled if desired and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon slivered or chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound fusilli or farfalle
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese or grated Parmesan

1. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, salt, black pepper, vinegar, basil, and oil in a wide bowl. Let sit for 15 to 30 minutes, or longer. Stir in the chickpeas. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Salt generously and add the pasta. Cook al dente, until the pasta is firm to the bite, following the directions on the package but checking 1 to 2 minutes before the suggested cooking time. Drain, toss with the tomatoes and chickpeas, sprinkle on the cheese, and serve.

Advance Preparation: You can make the sauce a few hours before you cook the pasta.
Variations: Add 1/4 to 1/2 pound broccoli florets or green beans. Before adding the pasta to the boiling water, blanch the broccoli for 3 minutes, green beans for 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, then drain. Return the water to a boil and proceed with the recipe. Toss the vegetables with the pasta along with the tomatoes and chickpeas. A can of white cannellini beans can stand in for the chickpeas.