Pesto-carrot Penne with Chickpeas

This recipe came from a weekly food column in the KW Record called "30 Minute Miracles" by Luisa d'Amato. It's great for a weeknight.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot
3 or 4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 28oz (796 ml) can tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 can (540 ml) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp pesto
olive oil and black pepper for garnish

1. Boil salted water in a large pot and put in however much penne/rigatoni you'd like (sauce makes enough for 4 servings).

2. Puree the tomatoes in a blender or the hand blender, set aside.

3. Chop the carrot into bite-sized pieces. Heat the olive oil on medium heat and add the carrot. Fry 5 minutes until the carrot is browned. Put in the garlic pieces and fry 30 seconds. Pour in the pureed tomatoes, the sugar, and the tomato paste. Add the drained chickpeas. Bring everything to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Add water if the sauce seems too thick.

4. When the pasta is cooked but still firm to the bite, drain and put it back in the original pot with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Just before you are ready to serve, stir the pasta into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve topped with a little pesto, a drizzle of olive oil, and some fresh black pepper. Makes 4 servings.

Very tasty - might add a bit of blanched spinach next time. I made a big batch and at the leftovers for a week!

Original recipe/photo.