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Fideos with Chickpeas and Aïoli

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 16, 2019

Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 4

Fideos with Chickpeas and Aïoli

Ingredients

8 ounces spaghetti or thin spaghetti, broken into 1- to 2-inch lengths2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 onion, chopped fineSalt and pepper 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and chopped fine, juice reserved3 garlic cloves, minced1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika 2 ¾ cups water 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed½ cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1 recipe Garlic Aïoli

Before You Begin

If you don't make the aïoli, serve the fideos with lemon wedges. In step 4, if your skillet is not broiler-safe, once the pasta is tender, transfer the mixture to a broiler-safe 13 by 9-inch baking dish lightly coated with olive oil. Broil and serve as directed.

Instructions

  1. Toss spaghettini and 2 teaspoons oil in broiler-safe 12-inch skillet until spaghettini is evenly coated. Toast spaghettini over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and releases nutty aroma (spaghettini should be color of peanut butter), 6 to 10 minutes; transfer to bowl.
  2. Wipe skillet clean, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook until mixture is thick, dry, and slightly darkened in color, 4 to 6 minutes.
  3. Reduce heat to medium, stir in garlic and smoked paprika, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in toasted spaghettini until thoroughly combined. Stir in water, chickpeas, wine, reserved tomato juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is slightly thickened and spaghettini is just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack 5 to 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.
  4. Transfer skillet to oven and broil until surface of spaghettini is dry with crisped, browned spots, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with parsley and serve with aioli.
Fideos with Chickpeas and Aïoli
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Marie Piraino.

Fideos with Chickpeas and Aïoli

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 ounces spaghetti or thin spaghetti, broken into 1- to 2-inch lengths
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and chopped fine, juice reserved
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
2 ¾ cups water
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 recipe Garlic Aïoli

Ingredients

8 ounces spaghetti or thin spaghetti, broken into 1- to 2-inch lengths
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and chopped fine, juice reserved
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
2 ¾ cups water
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 recipe Garlic Aïoli

Ingredients

8 ounces spaghetti or thin spaghetti, broken into 1- to 2-inch lengths
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and chopped fine, juice reserved
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
2 ¾ cups water
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 recipe Garlic Aïoli

Why This Recipe Works

One of the biggest stars of traditional Spanish cooking is fideos. This richly flavored dish toasts thin noodles until nut-brown before cooking them in a garlicky, tomatoey stock loaded with seafood and chorizo. We wanted to streamline the recipe and make it vegetarian but keep the complex flavors of the classic dish. We saved some time by streamlining the sofrito, the aromatic base common in Spanish cooking, by finely chopping the onion (so it softened and browned more quickly) and using canned tomatoes instead of fresh. We made the dish vegetarian by subbing out the usual shellfish and chorizo for hearty, creamy chickpeas. A hefty amount of wine and the juice from our canned tomatoes made a stock with good depth of flavor. A topping of garlic aioli imparts a citrusy component.

Before You Begin

If you don't make the aïoli, serve the fideos with lemon wedges. In step 4, if your skillet is not broiler-safe, once the pasta is tender, transfer the mixture to a broiler-safe 13 by 9-inch baking dish lightly coated with olive oil. Broil and serve as directed.

Instructions

  1. Toss spaghettini and 2 teaspoons oil in broiler-safe 12-inch skillet until spaghettini is evenly coated. Toast spaghettini over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and releases nutty aroma (spaghettini should be color of peanut butter), 6 to 10 minutes; transfer to bowl.
  2. Wipe skillet clean, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook until mixture is thick, dry, and slightly darkened in color, 4 to 6 minutes.
  3. Reduce heat to medium, stir in garlic and smoked paprika, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in toasted spaghettini until thoroughly combined. Stir in water, chickpeas, wine, reserved tomato juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is slightly thickened and spaghettini is just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack 5 to 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.
  4. Transfer skillet to oven and broil until surface of spaghettini is dry with crisped, browned spots, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with parsley and serve with aioli.

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