Serves 4
Ingredients:-
- 500g chickpeas, soaked in cold water for 24 hours, or 2 x 400g tins
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 garlic clove, unpeeled
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 500g fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
- Salt and black pepper
For the pesto
- 50g blanched almonds
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves
Method:-
- 1 Drain the soaked or tinned chickpeas, put in a heavy-based pan and cover with 2 litres of cold water. Add the bay leaves and garlic, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the chickpeas are very tender. Pull from the heat, add salt to taste, and leave to cool in the cooking liquid.
- 2 Warm the oil and fry the onion until soft. Add 1 tbsp chopped parsley and the tomatoes. Simmer, crushing the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. Cook until saucy. Dilute with a ladleful of chickpea broth, then add the chickpeas, leaving some broth remaining. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- 3 Make the pesto by pounding/blending the almonds, pine nuts and garlic into a paste. Stir into the chickpeas. Cook for another 10 minutes, adding more broth if you want. Stir in the last of the parsley. Serve with bread and cheese.
