Gramigna with Spinach, Chickpeas, and Bacon

Name: Gramigna with Spinach, Chickpeas, and Bacon
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt, plus 1 tablespoon for the pasta pot; 3 to 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing; 6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced; 4 ounces pancetta or bacon, cut in matchstick strips; 1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste; 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1-pound can ceci, drained and rinsed; 3 cups tender spinach leaves, rinsed and trimmed; 1 pound gramigna pasta; 1 cup freshly grated authentic Italian pecorino; A heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 12-inch diameter or larger

December 14, 2011

This skillet pasta is the epitome of good everyday Italian cooking. It is fast—everything, including the dried gramigna pasta, cooks in less than 10 minutes. The ingredients are right out of the pantry and fridge. And when you put them all together—the textures and tastes are in perfect balance. When dishes are so simple, every ingredient is very important. Here the feel and texture of curly gramigna pasta plays an important role, so do try to find it (see Sources, page 340). Other pastas, such as elbows, shells, or small pennette, will be delicious, but gramigna is used in Maremma, and I love it.

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