My husband is pretty easy to please. He loves pasta, he loves tomatoes, he loves cheese. So whenever I don’t have a dinner planned, we usually turn to one or all of these ingredients for a quick meal. This one is versatile and tasty, made with pantry essentials.

Cappellini with Tomatoes and Chickpeas

1/2 lb cappellini (or however much you want to make, just adjust the rest of the ingredients)
olive oil
3-4 shallots, chopped (or onions, whatever you have)
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes
1/2-1 can chickpeas, drained (other bean would work, too)
Italian seasoning (or other herbs of your choice)
sea salt and pepper
parmesan cheese, for serving

1. Boil the pasta according to package directions.

2. In a saucepan, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and chickpeas and bring to a simmer. Season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce cooks down a bit.

3. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water. Add the pasta water to the sauce as a binder. Mix sauce with pasta, season to taste, and place into serving bowls. Top with parmesan cheese.

You could also add meat- shrimp, chicken, whatever – make it your own!