Sevillian-Style Chickpeas with Spinach
A hearty Andalusian tapa of tender chickpeas and spinach in a fragrant bread-and-garlic sauce, where sweet paprika and cumin are balanced by a splash of wine vinegar.
Ingredients
- canned chickpeas500 g
- fresh spinach400 g
- stale white bread80 g
- garlic3 cloves
- olive oil45 ml
- ground sweet paprika1 tsp
- ground cumin1 tsp
- bay leaf2 leaf
- white wine vinegar1 tbsp
- pureed tomatoes60 g
- water120 ml
- salt1 to taste
- ground black pepper1 to taste
Instructions
Drain the canned chickpeas in a colander, rinse under cold water and pat dry well. Rinse the fresh spinach, remove any tough stems, and boil in salted water for 8–10 minutes; squeeze out excess moisture and chop coarsely.
Heat half the olive oil in a wide skillet. Sauté the sliced garlic for 1–2 minutes until golden, transfer to a plate, then brown the stale white bread on both sides in the same oil.
Transfer the garlic and toasted bread to a mortar or blender, add the ground cumin, white wine vinegar, strained tomatoes and water. Grind or blend into a thick, smooth paste.
Pour the remaining olive oil into the skillet, take it off the heat for a few seconds and stir in the sweet ground paprika so it doesn't burn. Return the skillet to low heat.
Add the fresh spinach and bay leaf, stir and heat through for 5 minutes. Mix in the bread-and-garlic paste and cook for another 5 minutes to let the spices open up.
Add the canned chickpeas, stir and simmer over low heat for 10–15 minutes; shake the skillet occasionally so some of the chickpeas break down slightly and the sauce thickens.
Remove the bay leaf, season with salt and ground black pepper to taste, and serve hot.
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