Vegan Carbonara with Smoky Chickpeas

I spent last month reading a book called ‘Consider the Fork” that talked about the history of cooking and how we eat. It really inspired me to consider what sort of tools and ingredients I use in my kitchen and how to adapt to more authentic and rustic ways of cooking.

One of the things I found most fascinating was how long humans went without using forks in their tableware. In fact, for most of the modern era, most people only used personal knives for much of their food consumption.

Of course, this wouldn’t work for pasta. According to Bee Wilson in Consider the Fork, “the only European exception were the Italians, who realized by the Middle Ages that neither spoon nor knife was a suitable tool for eating spaghetti. They added a second, then a third prong to the traditional wooden pasta spike called a punteruolo.”

Now, previously I haven’t been picky about my pastas, but this book had me thinking about well crafted pasta and what that would look like, when I discovered DaVinci. I’ve tried their wagon wheels, fettuccine, and spaghetti and the texture and bite to their pasta is so much better than most brands. Plus, I love their message!

“Today, modern culture re-emphasizes the elements from this time, which permeates into our everyday
experiences. The simple yet layered touches inspire the products we produce and the dishes you create.
DaVinci symbolizes this golden age of creativity, passion, and creation. A delectable home-cooked meal has the power to truly bring people together. We aim to enrich the lives of the special people around us, through our products, because with a great meal comes even greater memories. DaVinci Pasta is a culinary canvas that creates spontaneous moments that infuse heart, creativity and love into your everyday actions. Made in Italy, our pasta is the perfect base bringing authentic Italian touches to every one of your kitchen creations.”

Now, traditional Carbonara would be made with eggs, bacon, and parmesan, but there’s no reason I couldn’t make a vegan version using some salty and smokey chickpeas and the fantastic Just Egg. Plus, the DaVinci pasta is the perfect vessel for this slurpable dish. If you don’t have access to Just Egg, simply omit, or add a bit of chickpea flour to the mix for that eggy texture that clings to each bite. Click below to see the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 16 Oz/454g DaVinci Signature Spaghetti
• 1/4 cup Just Egg 
• 1/2 tsp kala namak (black salt) 
• 1 cup/235ml dairy free cream 
• 1/4 cup vegan parmesan (Follow Your Heart, Violife, or Forager Project) 
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast 
• ¼ tsp black pepper 
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder 
• Handful of fresh basil, sliced & 2 tbsp parmesan for topping 

For the smoky chickpeas:

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained & rinsed 
• ¼ tsp sea salt 
• ¼ tsp Outstanding Foods Pigless Bacon Seasoning (optional)
•  ½ tsp smoked paprika 
• 1 tsp onion powder 
• 1 tbsp refined coconut oil

Instructions:

 1. Drain your chickpeas and toss them in sea salt, smoked paprika, onion powder and refined coconut oil. Add them to metal baking pan and bake them at 350°F for 25 minutes or until crunchy. 

2. Meanwhile, mix the sauce by combining Just Egg, black salt, black pepper, turmeric, nutritional yeast, dairy free cream, and vegan parm in a large sauce pan. 

3. Cook DaVinci spaghetti in boiling salted water according to package instructions. Using tongs, add spaghetti directly from cooking water to the pan with the sauce, gently stir until combined.

4. Cook until the sauce thickens (about 4-7 minutes) and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the chickpeas, parmesan & fresh basil on the top. Enjoy!