Roasted Chickpeas

My husband and I were out dining at Walia Ethiopian Cuisine in San Jose off of Stevens Creek/San Carlos.  If you haven't been there I recommend it. It's a little hidden gem that you would normally drive by, but the food is warm, delicious, and the owners are very inviting. I have yet to find a dish there I do not like. While we were eating our dinner, I noticed that the staff had prepared some roasted chickpeas as a snack and was munching on them in the back. I actually did not get a chance to try any, but I have been thinking about trying roasted chickpeas for awhile.

I found a book at the library called Taste of Eritrea by Olivia Warren which had the basic ingredient and directions, but no seasonings. It also recommended baking at 200F for 30 minutes but I found that heat was too low. The book mentions that in Eritrea, these chickpeas are sold as a street food similar to shelled peanuts. I think they are a great snack to munch on when you want a treat, but don't want the high calorie. FYI, chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans.

Ingredients:

3 c. chick peas (~2-15oz. can chickpeas)

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. If using canned chickpeas, fully drain the chickpeas and place them on some paper towel to remove the excess liquid.

3. In a bowl mix all the ingredients. Toss until chickpeas are well coated.

4. Spread the chickpeas on a baking pan and bake for about 35-45 minutes, shaking the tray the last 20 minutes to evenly cook the chickpeas. Bake until chickpeas are golden and crisp.

If you decide to cook chickpeas from dry chickpeas. Here is the basic. For 1/2 pound of dry, place in a pot with 4 cup of water and bring to boil. Remove from heat and let the beans soak for 1 hour. Drain the beans and add another 4 cup of water to pot and bring to boil. Cook for additional 1 hour, drain and season with salt.