Cook: 27 minutes approx (with za'atar crunch)

Serves: 2

This dish is a potential weekly lunch for cheese lovers. You can change it up by adding a different topping each time.

The za’atar chickpea crunch is a real savoury protein topper for salads, soups, stews, dahls, and pastas. I’ve used za’atar for its savoury cumin fix, but experiment with other flavors like Berbere, Chinese 5 spice, or even ras el hanout.

Method:

For the za’atar crunch:

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Ingredients

Name: Cannellini cacio e pepe with za’atar chickpea crunch
Cook time: 27 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: For the za'atar crunch topping (makes: 1¼ cups -200g); 2 cups (250 g) canned chickpeas, drained and dried; 1 tbsp za’atar; 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 2 1/3 cups (100 g) panko breadcrumbs; Zest of 1 lemon; Sea salt For the cannellini beans:; 2 garlic cloves; 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 1 rosemary sprig; 5 cups (700 g) jarred cannellini beans or 2 (15-ounce / 425 g) cans, drained and rinsed; 1½ cups (350 ml) stock or water; ½ stick (60g) butter, cubed; 2 tsp ground black pepper; ¾ cup (60 g) finely grated pecorino or Parmesan or mix of both

For the za'atar crunch topping (makes: 1¼ cups -200g)
2 cups (250 g) canned chickpeas, drained and dried
1 tbsp za’atar
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 1/3 cups (100 g) panko breadcrumbs
Zest of 1 lemon
Sea salt

For the cannellini beans:
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 rosemary sprig
5 cups (700 g) jarred cannellini beans or 2 (15-ounce / 425 g) cans, drained and rinsed
1½ cups (350 ml) stock or water
½ stick (60g) butter, cubed
2 tsp ground black pepper
¾ cup (60 g) finely grated pecorino or Parmesan or mix of both