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1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just al dente according to package directions.
9 oz dry pasta,
1 tsp salt
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2. Before draining, scoop out some pasta cooking water and set it aside, then drain the pasta and leave it in the colander.
0.5 cup reserved pasta cooking water
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3. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2 tbsp olive oil
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4. Add chickpeas to the skillet, season lightly with salt and black pepper, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and a bit crisp on the edges.
1 can canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed),
1 tsp salt,
0.5 tsp black pepper
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5. Stir in minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook briefly until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.
3 clove garlic,
0.2 tsp red pepper flakes
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6. Pour in the spicy tomato pasta sauce, bring it to a gentle simmer, and cook until slightly thickened and the chickpeas are well coated.
2 cup spicy tomato pasta sauce
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7. Lower the heat, add shredded cheddar cheese to the sauce, and stir until it melts smoothly into the tomato mixture.
0.8 cup sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
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8. Add the drained pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat in the sauce and chickpeas, and loosen with a splash of reserved pasta water as needed so the sauce clings silkily.
9 oz dry pasta,
0.5 cup reserved pasta cooking water
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9. Remove the skillet from heat, stir in the yogurt and chopped chives until creamy and well combined, and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper if needed.
0.2 cup chives,
0.5 cup plain yogurt,
1 tsp salt,
0.5 tsp black pepper
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10. Serve the pasta hot, topped with a sprinkle of grated cheddar cheese and extra chives if desired.
0.2 cup grated cheddar cheese (garnish, optional),
2 tbsp extra chives (garnish, optional)
By james