Mediterranean Smashed Chickpeas

Mediterranean Smashed Chickpeas
Author
admin
Source of Recipe
NY Times, David Tanis - February 21, 2014
Serves/Makes/Yields
About 3 1/2 cups chickpea spread
Recipe Description

You smash half the chickpeas in this recipe to make a spread, sort of a warm rustic hummus enhanced with garlic cumin and hot pepper, along with a liberal drizzle of olive oil. You can use either freshly cooked dried beans or canned chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), though freshly cooked is always preferable. Tuck some into a pita for a vegetarian sandwich or serve as a dip to eat with bread and olives; a dollop of minty yogurt and a drizzle of tahini sauce make nice additions.

Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

Salt and pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground toasted cumin

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup finely diced celery

4 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered (optional)

Minted yogurt (optional), see notes

Tahini sauce (optional), see notes

Preparation
  1. Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook gently until softened, about 10 minutes.
  3. Raise heat to medium-high.
  4. Add garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes and celery.
  5. Stir to combine let sizzle without browning for 1 minute.
  6. Add chickpeas and let them heat through.
  7. With a potato masher or wooden spoon, crush about half the beans.
  8. Stir well, taste and adjust seasoning.
  9. Add 1/2 cup water (or bean cooking liquid if you have it) and let mixture simmer briskly for a minute or two.
  10. Stir in lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  11. Serve warm in pita or as a dip or side dish.
  12. Garnish with quartered eggs, accompanied by minted yogurt and tahini sauce, if desired.

NOTE: To make minted yogurt, stir 2 tablespoons chopped mint and 1 minced garlic clove into a cup of thick yogurt. Season with salt and pepper.

NOTE: To make tahini sauce, mix 1/4 cup Middle Eastern sesame paste with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons olive oil.

 

Nutrition Information

 None Available.