Fried Tagliatelle With Chickpeas and Smoky Tomatoes

Datterini tomatoes are a small, elongated Italian variety known for their sweetness when cooked. They are available at Specialty Produce in San Diego from early summer to early fall. If you can’t find them, substitute cherry tomatoes.

Makes 4 servings

FOR THE SMOKY TOMATO OIL:

8 ounces datterini or cherry tomatoes

1⁄2 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon tomato paste 21⁄2 teaspoons chipotle chile flakes

11⁄2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

FOR THE PASTA: 2 tablespoons olive oil 8 dried tagliatelle nests 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked 8 to 24 hours in plenty of cold water with 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda 11⁄2 teaspoons salt 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 lemons, 1 halved and the other cut into 4 wedges 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh parsley

Make the smoky tomato oil: Place a medium sauté pan over high heat. Once hot, add the tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes, shaking the pan as needed, until tomatoes are charred on the outside but still retain their shape. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in everything else and return to medium-low heat. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally as it bubbles very gently. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse.

Prepare the pasta: While the tomato oil infuses, add the 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large, high-sided sauté pan and heat over medium-high. Once hot, add the tagliatelle nests and cook for 11⁄2 to 2 minutes on each side, or until nicely golden. (Don’t worry if you don’t get color on the sides.) Set the toasted tagliatelle nests aside and rinse out the pan.

Drain the soaked chickpeas and add them to the same pan along with 41⁄4 cups water and 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda. Return the pan to medium-high heat and bring to a boil, skimming the impurities as needed. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Add 11⁄2 teaspoons salt and test the chickpeas at this point. They should be soft but still retain their shape. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.

Stir in the garlic, then nestle in the fried tagliatelle nests. Replace the lid and cook, undisturbed, until pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 5 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Remove the lid and, without stirring, squeeze over the juice from the lemon halves.

Spoon the smoky tomato oil on top, sprinkle with the parsley and serve directly from the pan. Serve with the extra lemon wedges to squeeze on top to taste.