Tomato & Tamarind Gigli with saffron confit onion and za’atar breadcrumbs

 

Start by blooming the saffron. Lightly crush the threads with your fingers and steep them in 2 tablespoons of warm water. Leave them to infuse while you get on with the onions.

In a wide pan over a low heat, warm 3 tbsp olive oil and add the sliced onions and lime peel with a pinch of salt. Let them soften and slowly caramelize, stirring occasionally, this will take about 15 minutes.

Once they’re meltingly soft, stir in the saffron and its soaking liquid, stir and place a lid on, letting the onions drink up the golden colour, cooking for another 5 minutes, then set aside.

Meanwhile, toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan until fragrant. Add a splash of olive oil, followed by the garlic and chilli, cooking for a minute or two until just starting to colour.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes and tamarind paste, season generously, and let it all simmer down into a thick, rich sauce, around 15 minutes should do it. Stir in 30g butter and the chickpeas and cook for another five minutes to heat through.

For the breadcrumbs, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan, toss in the sourdough crumbs, and toast until golden. Scatter over the za’atar, mix well, and remove from the heat.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving a little of the starchy cooking water, and toss straight into the tomato and tamarind sauce.