Chickpeas in Their Own Broth with Crisp Bread Crumbs

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 2 to 2½ hours

M V

Chickpeas and their broth are so flavorful they hardly need anything else to be completely delicious, but a bit of garlic and a good olive oil make this dish spectacular. Cooking your own chickpeas is all but essential here; canned chickpeas just don’t have the flavor necessary to carry this; you need that good broth.

• 1½ cups dried chickpeas
• Salt
• 1 6-inch piece French or Italian bread (a day or 2 old)
• 8 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Pepper
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

1. Put the chickpeas in a large saucepan with water to cover to 2 to 3 inches and a large pinch salt. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the liquid bubbles gently. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are tender, 1½ to 2 hours. Add more water if the level gets too low; you want to end up with 2 cups cooking water when the chickpeas are done. (This can be done up to several days ahead; if storing, cool, cover, and refrigerate the chickpeas with 2 cups of their cooking water. Gently rewarm over medium heat before proceeding.)
2. Coarsely chop the bread. Put it in a food processor and pulse until it is shredded, with no chunks larger than a pea but most not much smaller either. Put 6 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bread and a sprinkle of salt and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the crumbs are nicely browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bread crumbs from the skillet; drain them on paper towels.
3. Stir the garlic into the warm chickpeas and their broth, along with a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Top with the bread crumbs, garnish with parsley, and serve. Or store the garlicky beans without the parsley and bread crumbs, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; gently reheat and garnish right before serving.

Chickpeas in Their Own Broth, Catalan Style 
Add a bit of wine and tomato for a slightly more sophisticated dish: After Step 1, cook 1 onion, chopped, with the garlic in 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil, until soft. Add a splash of white wine and 1 tablespoon tomato paste, then cook for a minute or 2. Add a bay leaf and the chickpeas and continue with Step 2.

Chickpeas in Their Own Broth, Cuban Style 
Loads of garlic and tangy lime juice: After Step 1, cook 1 bell pepper, chopped, along with 2 to 3 tablespoons minced garlic in 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil until soft. Add 1 teaspoon ground cumin and the chickpeas and continue with Step 2. Sprinkle with lots of fresh lime juice just before serving.

Nutty Chickpeas in Their Own Broth Even more toastiness and crunch: After Step 1, pan-roast 1 cup almonds, pine nuts, hazelnuts, or chopped chestnuts in olive oil until aromatic and stir into the chickpeas right before serving.

Chickpeas in Their Own Broth with Dried Tomatoes The tomatoes finish reconstituting in the chickpea broth, absorbing loads of flavor in the process: Add about ½ cup chopped dried tomatoes, soaked and drained, with the garlic in Step 2 and cook until they are soft, about 10 minutes.

Chickpeas in Their Own Broth with Tahini A classic combination, just a different form: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons tahini along with the garlic in Step 2. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.