WHAT ARE GARBANZOS CON ESPINACAS AND WHERE ARE THEY EATEN?
CHICKPEAS WITH SPINACH - an authentic tapas recipe containing boiled chickpeas with spinach in a thick aromatic sauce of toasted bread, tomato, garlic and Roman cumin.This is a popular dish especially in tapas bars in Seville, Spain.The exotic taste of Roman cumin is a legacy of the time under the Arab rule. GARBANZOS CON ESPINACAS is a favourite historical combination of the Jewish population in the territory of today's Andalusia.
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR?
The recipe is quite simple and easy to make. It is necessary to have a mortar or a food processor to combine the ingredients of the sauce. A mortar allows better control over the texture of the sauce, but in this case the result is just as good in a blender. Because of the different sizes of dry chickpeas on the market, it's a bit tricky to suggest the exact cooking time for the right consistency. If you use fresh spinach, don't forget to wash it thoroughly.
DRY CHICKPEAS OR CANNED CHICKPEAS?
Canned chickpeas sometimes contains unnecessary preservatives, so always check the label. If you still prefer using canned chickpeas, make sure you only heat it up and not overcook it.
Dry chickpeas must be soaked overnight for 8-12 hours in cold water and then cooked, depending on the water and the size of the chickpeas, either in a normal pot for an hour or in a pressure cooker for 20-30 minutes. Chickpeas should not be overcooked.
FROZEN OR FRESH SPINACH?
This recipe is made with frozen spinach as often as with fresh spinach in Spain, so it's really up to you which you prefer using when cooking.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
- 500g cooked chickpeas (200g dry)
- 300g frozen spinach (500g fresh)
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 slice of white bread (3 slices of baguette)
- 1 teaspoon of ground Roman cumin
- 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
- 100 ml tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- 100 ml of water
- 100 ml of olive oil
- Salt
METHOD:
- In a sufficiently large pot, together with 3 tablespoons of water, thaw frozen spinach over medium heat (cook for approx. 10 minutes). Stir the spinach occasionally and check that it doesn't stick to the sides of the pot. In the case of fresh spinach, wash the leaves perfectly under running water, put them in a large pot with a little water, add a little salt and wait on a medium flame until all the fresh leaves have softened to the bottom of the pot.
- Chop the spinach on a cutting board with a sharp knife and set aside.
-
Heat the olive oil in a deep pan. Fry the garlic cloves until light brown. Fry a slice of bread on both sides until golden. Put the fried garlic, fried bread, cumin, paprika, tomato puree, salt, 100ml water, 2 spoons of olive oil and vinegar in a blender. Blend until smooth. The result should be a thick sauce.
All the ingredients in the blender before mixing
- Add chopped spinach to the remaining oil after frying the garlic and bread in the same pan over a medium heat, cook in the oil for a few minutes, add the sauce from the blender and the chickpeas. Mix well and let it cook for 5 minutes to combine and heat all the ingredients.
- Taste and add salt if necessary. The finished mixture should not be dry. If it is, add some water, a spoon at a time.
- Serve hot or warm with some fresh white bread.
The finished chickpeas with spinach
