Instructions: Heat oil in pan, add garlic and onions; cook, stirring, until onions are soft. Add spices (see note); cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add garbanzos (chickpeas), tomatoes, currants and extra oil, stir until combined and heated through.

Add pasta to large pan of boiling water, boil, uncovered, until just tender; drain. Combine garbanzo mixture and pasta in bowl; sprinkle with nuts and basil. Serve.

Variation: remove from heat; add garam masala and fresh cilantro. Allow to sit a few minutes before serving. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Recipe appears in the Pasta volume of the mini-menu series. May also appear in other Cole publications or in Australian Womens Weekly Cookbooks.

Description: "Fusion of flavors in this pasta dish - with garbanzo and basil and spice"

NOTES : OUR TEST VERSION: We rescaled the recipe: basically quartered everything; used only one-third the amount of oil. Add more garbanzos (a drained 8-oz can). The other deviations: warmed a pinch of Asafetida in oil; then sauteed the onion and garlic. We added garam masala and fresh cilantro at the end, after removing the pan from direct heat. REVIEW - This was good! Nice fusion of flavors. Comfort food. Not too spicy.

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