Back in February, I blogged about trying to overcome my aversion to chickpeas. Growing up , we ate them in, on top or under everything possible. I never knew if it was my mother’s love for the little morsels or an attempt to stretch their hard earned dollars but whatever the reason, I have had more than enough ‘cecis’ to fill a lifetime. However, recently I decided it was time to reconcile with my little healthful pals and give them another culinary chance. I spotted a few recipes recently for roasted chickpeas and thought the crunchy flavorful bite would make for a yummy, healthful snack. And they were indeed – I munched them all afternoon. Very tasty! Use whatever spices float your boat. And be sure to dry the chickpeas well after you rinse them. From what I have read, they jump around in the oven like little jumping beans if you do not dry them thoroughly (actually sounds kinda fun!) Enjoy!
Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients:
2 15-ounce can chickpeas
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Pat dry using a kitchen towel. In a large bowl, gently toss together the chickpeas, oil, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, cayenne and salt.
3. Transfer the chickpeas to a rimmed baking sheet. Spread them out in a single layer.
4. Bake until golden and crispy, stirring halfway through cooking, about 25-30 minutes.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Thank you for this super idea. I’m going to try it. I also have a lovely recipe for chickpeas dressed with lemon, olive oil, flat leaf parsley and ground black pepper. I enjoyed this as a starter in a little restaurant in the south of France years ago.
Yum, your recipe sounds wonderful! I will have to try. Grazie!
Can’t wait to try!
Wow what an interesting idea!