Pasta and chickpeas

Pasta and chickpeas (ciceri e tria in Leccese dialect), is representative of the diversity of Salento, in Apulia. It combines tria (the Arabic word for pasta) with chickpeas, which have long been a staple of poor Leccese families. Because olive oil used to be very expensive, this recipes calls for boiling half the pasta and frying the other half, getting maximum flavor for minimum cost.

salt
1 pound fresh tagliatelle, cut into 6-inch pieces, divided
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, boiled and drained
freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of water toa boil. Add salt and half of the pasta, and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil, and add the minced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, and add the remaining pasta, stirring with a fork. When the pasta is light golden color, add the chickpeas to the skillet. Slowly add ½ cup of hot water, and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Drain the boiled pasta, and add to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve immediately. Serves 4.