Roasted Chickpeas - A Nutritious Snack for Children and Adults

Chickpeas - Ceci - Garbanzos

 

As a child in Italy, the long winter evenings were spent around a large fireplace (only method of keeping warm) with family and friends.  In front of the crackling logs we would munch on dried fruit, roasted chestnuts and chickpeas. 

There were two methods of roasting chickpeas:  

-- one utilizing sand and salt in a very large pot where the chickpeas would roast

    until turning white;

--the other utilizing a large pan with a little olive oil.   

Today, it's still our family snack choice.  We prefer the pan method as the chickpeas are crunchy but not hard, therefore kinder to the teeth.

All photos -  ©2012 - La Casa e Il Giardino – picasaweb

Ingredients

1 lb. dry chickpeas (alternate 2 cans of cooked beans).*

4 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Place the washed chickpeas in a large pot.  Add water (3 times the amount of the chickpeas), and bring to a boil.   Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.  The chickpeas should not be not be fully cooked.  Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

*If canned chickpeas are used - Drain and rinse chickpeas under running water. Pat dry with a kitchen towel and proceed as follows.

Place oil in a large cast iron skillet over the cooktop.  Spread chickpeas out.  Add salt and pepper and cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until the chickpeas are brown and crunchy.

Roasted chickpeas - Ceci arrostiti

According to the NY Times "US Children:Generation Snack", children are snacking on cookies, chips and other treats.

This snack satisfies children and adults snack cravings without the guilt.  Enjoy!

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Ceci alla Pignata

Chestnuts are not just for Roasting

CECI a la Pignata - Chickpeas and Nostalgia

 

As a child, I remember keeping company with my grandmother who had a fireplace. The fire was always on for the winter and with coals and ashes she cooked potatoes, chestnuts and onions. She also had a pignata (terracotta pot) where she cooked the legumes (ceci, fagioli, etc.).

Pignata

Sitting on a small chair, I used to watch the crackling of the fire. She would give me a dish of ceci and then she would sit and as we ate she would tell me about her youth.
What flavor and today, what nostalgia.

Dry chickpeas or ceci
A cup of cooked chickpeas has 18 grams of protein, but under 1 gram of fat!
A great substitute for meat.

Chickpeas with Red Onion and Olive Oil

Chickpeas (ceci) simmering

Ingredients

1 lb. bag of dry chickpeas

Water

DON'T ADD SALT TO THE WATER

Procedure

In a large pot place the washed chickpeas, add water (3 times the amount of the chickpeas),  bring to a boil and then cover and simmer gently.  About 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Chickpeas with tomatoes

Chickpeas and Red Onion

Once the chickpeas are tender, add a chopped red onion, 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

This dish warms my heart and will surely warm yours.