Rigatoni with Creamy Garbanzo Bean Sauce

I say it again - necessity is the mother of invention.... It's the case with our latest recipe. I had some cooked Garbanzo beans that needed to be used but didn't want to make a hummus. I already used half of it to make a sautéed dish so I figured, am sure I can use these for something else that I have never done before. So off I went to the pantry and found this box of Rigatoni noodles and then the light came up - how about a pasta dish?

I thought a creamy, cheesy sauce would work well for this and thankfully I still had some Gorgonzola Cheese that's been sitting on the fridge. I made a Blue Cheese pasta sauce and then added some fresh parsley to contrast with the creamy sauce and give it some freshness and a lovely color, too.

It worked really well - so much so that even my little boy ate a lot of it. That means it's kid-approved and definitely mommy-approved, too. So next time you have some Garbanzo beans and is wondering what to do with it - why not use it for a pasta dish! Enjoy!

  

Ingredients

Rigatoni or Penne Noodles - 8-10 oz
2 Tablespoons, Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves
1 cup Garbanzo beans (cooked)*
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tablespoons fresh Parsley, chopped
Parmesan Cheese (optional)

For the Blue Cheese Sauce

1 cup milk
1/2 cup Bleu Cheese, crumbled
1 Tablespoon Butter
Salt and pepper, to taste

*If using the canned one, drain and then rinse thoroughly before using.


Procedure

Cook the pasta of your choice according to package directions. Drain when done.

While the pasta is cooking make the Blue Cheese Sauce. Melt the butter in a sauce pan using medium heat. Pour in the milk and add the crumbled Blue cheese and stir well until they all come together and no more lumps appear. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat the oil in a large pan (or big enough to accommodate the pasta and the sauce). Sauté  the garlic until aromatic. Add the garbanzo beans and sauté for about 2 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper. Remove the garlic and discard.

Add the sauce to the garbanzo. Add in the pasta  and the fresh parsley and mix everything together. Correct the seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately with some freshly grated Parmesan Cheese on the side. Enjoy!

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