Crunchy Chickpeas With Aleppo Pepper And Lemon Zest Recipes

CRUNCHY ROASTED CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Drain and dry chickpeas very well. Dry them up using some paper towels and leave them in a colander until they have dried as much as possible (OR you can spread them on a large baking sheet lined with paper towel for a while.)
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and position a rack right in the middle.
• Spread the chickpeas well on a bare baking sheet (do not line the baking sheet with parchment or foil.) Drizzle a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and season with kosher salt. Toss chickpeas and make sure they are well-coated with the olive oil. Spread them out well on the sheet.
• Roast in heated oven anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes or so for even cooking. Don't rush it, make sure the chickpeas turn a deeper golden brown and the exterior is nice and crispy, that's when they're ready.
• Season roasted chickpeas. Once you take the chickpeas out of the oven, immediately season with spices of your choice. This time, I used za'atar, sumac, and harissa blend (up to 2 tsp each) for warm Middle Eastern and Moroccan notes. Play with the amounts to your liking, and change up the spices according to what you have. (see more flavor ideas up in the post)

CRUNCHY CHICKPEAS WITH ALEPPO PEPPER AND LEMON ZEST

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread chickpeas out evenly on a sheet pan and roast until crisp and golden in spots, shaking the pan occasionally, about 20 to 25 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the chickpeas hang out for another 10 to 15 minutes, checking in occasionally to make sure they do not burn. This will help keep them crunchy for an extended period of time.
• In a 10-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add chickpeas and toss to coat in the oil. Stir in Aleppo pepper and season well with salt. Remove from heat and sprinkle with the lemon zest and toss again. Serve warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.

LEMONY CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until tender., Stir in chickpeas, tomatoes, broth, pepper flakes and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Uncover; simmer 4-5 minutes or until liquid is slightly reduced, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice. Serve with rice. , Freeze option: Do not prepare rice until later. Freeze cooled chickpea mixture in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth if necessary. Serve with rice.