chickpeas [a recipe]

chickpeas, garbanzo beans – whatever you call them, they’re delicious. and they’re good for you, too. here’s a recipe for one of my favorite chickpea preparations. spoiler alert: it’s super easy.

ingredients
chickpeas (16 oz)
evoo (4ish tbsp)
za’atar (1 tbsp)

execution
soak your chickpeas. if you’re using canned chickpeas they will have been soaking and you’re good to go right away. dried chickpeas? let those dudes sit overnight, submerged in water.

now comes the tedious task: peeling. yes, you have to peel the chickpeas. it’s absolutely essential. it’ll take you about 10 – 15 minutes.

in a frying pan, medium to high, heat up your extra virgin olive oil. you want it hot. this should take a few minutes.

throw your peeled chickpeas into the hot oil. it’s going sizzle. i love that sound. let the chickpeas sit and fry in the oil. give the pan a swirl to ensure consistency. after 4 to 5 minutes, hit the pan with a cover. keep the heat high and keep an eye on ’em – you’re looking for a nice golden brown. this takes something like 8 – 10 minutes.

once golden, they’ll look crisp, too, turn heat off and let the chickpeas sit on a paper towel to absorb any extra oil.

after a couple minutes, add them to a container that has a lid. don’t let them cool for too long. hot and sticky so the za’atar will stick. i’m getting ahead of myself. okay, now add the za’atar into the container. cover with a lid. now, shake. shake ’em up to get a nice coating of the za’atar evenly dispersed.

and there you have it. a delightful snack.