The Easiest Chickpeas

This is one of my favorite recipes—or rather, non-recipes since it comes together without much thought and is augmented or pared down depending on the ingredients I have on hand. Delicious served warm as a side dish, but hearty enough to be main course, especially when accompanied by a lightly dressed green salad or a runny fried egg. They’re pretty great at room temperature, too. 

I like to start with dried chickpeas, soaking them overnight, then simmering them in salted water or chicken stock for 15 to 20 minutes until they’re tender. After I drain them, I soak them in good olive oil and season them to taste with salt, pepper, and sometimes red pepper flakes, or my preferred Aleppo pepper. I make about 6 cups at a time and use the chickpeas throughout the week in different ways. You can always use canned chickpeas (DO rinse them and drain them well prior to eating), but they won’t have that delicate crunch the other ones have.

For this quick chickpea recipe, add enough olive oil to a medium skillet to cover the bottom. Heat it over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then add thinly sliced yellow onions or shallots. Season them with salt and pepper and cook them until they begin to turn golden, about 6 minutes. Add 1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced or very thinly sliced,  and red pepper flakes or Aleppo and cook 1 more minute, then add the chickpeas and increase the heat to high and cook them until they’re warmed through and beginning to crisp. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and some chopped parsley.

I sometimes add slices of Spanish chorizo along with the chickpeas and serve them alongside garlicky shrimp. Once in a while I find leftover rice pilaf and I toss it in there as well. Basic little things, but enjoyable and always welcome at the table.