Gigli with Chickpeas and Za’atar

Step 1: Put the olive oil into a large sauté pan and place over high heat. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, thyme, anchovies, lemon peel, and a good grind of pepper. Fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden.

Step 2: Decrease the heat to medium-high, then add the chickpeas and sugar and fry for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas begin to brown and crisp up.

Step 3: Add the chicken stock and lemon juice and simmer for 6 minutes, until the sauce has reduced slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside. You can make this in advance, if you like, and warm through before serving.

Step 4: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8 minutes, or according to the package instructions, until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Step 5: Stir the spinach into the chickpeas; the residual heat of the sauce should cook the spinach, but if it doesn’t wilt, just warm the chickpeas gently on the stove. Transfer the pasta to the pan of chickpeas and stir to combine and add parsley. Divide among 4 bowls and sprinkle the za’atar on top. Finish with a nice drizzle of oil, more lemon juice and serve.