Finely dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces and mince the garlic cloves. Measure out the cottage cheese, tomato sauce, and basil leaves. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil, then add the chickpea pasta and cook according to package directions. While the pasta cooks, you'll have time to prepare the sauce base.

While the pasta finishes cooking, combine the cottage cheese, tomato sauce, and basil leaves in a blender. Blend until completely smooth—this creates a creamy, velvety base that will coat the pasta beautifully. Set the blended sauce aside. I find blending these together first ensures the basil flavor distributes evenly throughout rather than having little pieces scattered around.

When the pasta is nearly done, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant, then add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Crumble the turkey sausage into the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking it apart as it browns, until it's cooked through and beginning to caramelize slightly.

Drain the cooked pasta in a colander, reserving 2 cups of the starchy pasta water—this water will help loosen the sauce and allow it to coat the pasta evenly. Pour the blended cottage cheese sauce from Step 2 into the skillet with the cooked sausage and aromatics. Stir gently to combine and warm through over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.

Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, adding pasta water a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency—the sauce should be creamy but not soupy. Fold in the freshly grated parmesan and fresh parsley, then season with salt and black pepper to taste. I like to reserve a bit of the parmesan to sprinkle on top of each serving for an extra burst of umami and texture.