Vegan Cacio e Pepe (Nut Free)

• Add the sunflower seeds to a bowl with a couple inches of boiling water. Soak for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Alternatively, you can boil the seeds for 15-20 minutes or until softened.
• Cook the pasta al dente in generously salted water according to package instructions. Drain and reserve 3 cups of pasta water. Toss the pasta with olive oil to prevent clumping and set aside.
• In the container of a high speed blender, add drained sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, olive oil, miso and 2 cups pasta water. Blend until very smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
• Pour the sauce in a large pot over medium low heat. When simmering, add the pasta and cook until heated through, adding more pasta water as needed. Remove from the heat and stir in the freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice. Top with crispy chickpeas and serve warm.

For the crispy chickpeas

• Spread the drained and rinsed chickpeas on to several sheets of paper towel or a clean kitchen cloth and gently pat dry.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When shimmering, add the chickpeas and cook for 10-15 minutes, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and salt. Serve immediantly.