Ingredients
- 9 oz dried garbanzos (chickpeas)
- pinch of bicarbonate of soda
- 6 clove garlic, peeled and whole
- 1/4 cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 oz white sliced bread, with the crusts removed
- 2 tbsp pimentón (Spanish sweet paprika)
- 1 pinch Spanish saffron
- 2 tbsp Spanish sherry vinegar
- 2 tbsp spinach, washed and cleaned
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- salt to taste
- white pepper to taste
Directions
The day before you cook, soak the chickpeas in cold water with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. The next day, drain and rinse the chickpeas.
In a big saucepan, combine the chickpeas with 2 1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 2 hours, until the chickpeas are tender. Every 10 minutes or so, add 1/2 cup of cold water to slow down the simmering. By the end, the water should have reduced so it is barely covering the chickpeas. Turn off the heat and let sit.
In a small sauté pan over medium-to-low heat, brown the garlic in 1/4 cup of the olive oil. When the garlic is browned, after about 3 minutes, remove from the pan and set aside. Add the bread and brown on both sides, about 1 minute each side. Remove the bread and set aside.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Add the pimentón and saffron to the sauté pan, and the sherry vinegar immediately afterward to prevent the pimentón from burning.
In a mortar, smash the reserved garlic and the browned bread to make a very thick paste.
Bring the chickpeas back to a low boil and add the spinach. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pimentón mixture along with the garlic and bread paste, to create a thick stewy sauce. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.
José's tips: When the chickpeas are soft and cooked, you should have only around one finger's depth of water left in the bottom of the pan. If there is more, remove some water from the pan before adding the rest of the ingredients. By the way, if you're in a rush and want to make a successful dish without cooking for 2 or 3 hours, you can use good quality chickpeas from a can or jar.
By Patricia Andres
