A vibrant bowl of textural cavatelli pasta generously coated in rich, reddish-brown harissa sauce, punctuated by flecks of bright green cilantro gremolata. Topped with a small handful of preserved lemon slices.

Harissa Cavatelli with Cilantro Gremolata

Name: Harissa Cavatelli with Cilantro Gremolata
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: African Fusion
Ingredients: Fresh Cilantro, one packed cup chopped; Garlic, 2 cloves minced; Lemon Zest, from one lemon none; Cavatelli Pasta, 200g none; Harissa Paste, 2 tablespoons none; Preserved Lemon, 1 thinly sliced; Chickpeas, 1 can rinsed and drained; Olive oil, 2 tablespoons none; Sea Salt, to taste none; Cracked Black Pepper, to taste none

Category Main Course

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 15 minutes

Style African Fusion

Technique Boiling

Diet Friendly Vegetarian

Daily Recipe: March 14, 2024

Today's recipe is a seasonal cavatelli pasta dish that merges the aromatic and hearty flavors of African cuisine with the refreshing taste of fresh cilantro. The combination of heat from the harissa with the bright notes of cilantro create an unforgettable eating experience.

Ingredients (for 2)

Fresh cilantro - one packed cup - chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves - minced
Lemon zest - from one lemon - none
Cavatelli pasta - 200g - none
Harissa paste - 2 tablespoons - none
Preserved lemon - 1 - thinly sliced
Chickpeas - 1 can - rinsed and drained
Olive oil - 2 tablespoons - none
Sea salt - to taste - none
Cracked black pepper - to taste - none

Preparation

Step 1 - 🌿🍋🥣

Combine the chopped cilantro, minced garlic, and lemon zest in a small bowl.
Step 2 - 🌊🍝🥄

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente or as per the package instructions.
Step 3 - 🔥🍳🌶️

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add harissa paste and stir until fragrant. Then add chickpeas and stir until well coated with the harissa mixture.
Step 4 - 🍝🥘💧

Drain the cooked pasta, reserving about a cup of pasta water. Add pasta to the pan with chickpeas and harissa, stir to combine and add pasta water as needed to achieve desired sauce consistency.
Step 5 - 🧂🍳🌿

Remove the pan from heat, season with salt and black pepper, and stir in half of the cilantro gremolata.
Step 6 - 🍝🍋🍽️

Portion pasta into bowls, top each serving with the remaining cilantro gremolata and a few slices of preserved lemon.

Additional

Harissa, a North African hot chili pepper paste, is the main flavor component creating a warm, spicy base for the pasta. Be free to adjust the amount of harissa paste according to your taste. Not only does the cilantro gremolata balance out the heat, but it also adds a vibrant green pop to this earthy-colored dish which captures well on camera! To add protein to the dish, you could add cooked cubed chicken or shrimp at the step where chickpeas are added.