He said, "The thing that you should always remember, Ellen, is to say please, thank you, and what do you think?".
Form the mixture into four 2-inch balls and arrange them on a plate in a single layer.Cover with a damp cloth and set aside at room temperature..
In a large bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour and enough water, beginning with ¼ cup, and adding water more by tablespoonfuls to form a paste that resembles thick cake batter but is still thin enough to pour.It should not be runny.Stir in the coriander and season with salt.. Line a plate with paper towels.
Pour 4 inches of oil into a deep heavy-bottomed pot and heat to 350°F on an instant-read thermometer.Working in two batches, dredge each potato ball in the chickpea batter until it is well coated.
Shake to remove any excess.
Using a slotted spoon, gently lower the battered potato ball into the oil and fry until golden brown on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes, adjusting the heat to maintain 350°F.Drain off any excess fat.. Add the tomatoes and salt to the pan and bring to a simmer.
Cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes.Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto..
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the shells until just done, about 10 minutes.Drain and toss with the sauce.