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spicy pesto chickpea meatballs all'arrabbiata

Saucy, spicy balls to give your sweetheart on Valentine's Day. Wink wink.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can chickpeas, drained
  • 1 cup walnut halves
  • 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, quartered
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/3 cup fresh parmesan, grated

arrabbiata sauce

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to your taste
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 28-oz cans San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1-2 tsp sugar
  • 1/3 cup basil pesto, homemade or store bought
  • 2 cups dry orzo
  • garlic bread, chopped basil, and parmesan, to serve

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain.
  • In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chickpeas, walnuts, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, parmesan, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse until a coarse but cohesive dough forms. Rub your hands with olive oil and roll into "meatballs", oiling your hands every two or three balls. Hehe. You will get anywhere from 12-16 balls.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Fry the meatballs 8-10 minutes, turning every minute or so until each side is crisped. Move the meatballs to a plate.
  • Drizzle another tablespoon of oil in the skillet. Saute the onion until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, pepper flakes, and tomato paste for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir in the sugar. Cover and simmer gently for 20-30 minutes (or longer!) Watch the heat level to ensure none of the sauce burns to the bottom of the pan. Crush the tomatoes occasionally with a wooden spoon to smooth out the sauce, or use an immersion blender.
  • Toward the end of cooking time, stir in the pesto. Add the meatballs back to the pan and baste with the sauce for an additional 5 minutes.
  • Divide the orzo and meatballs among plates. Serve with lots of chopped basil, garlic bread, and extra parmesan, as desired.
Keyword arrabbiata, chickpeas, italian, meatballs, orzo, pesto, vegetarian