Today I am going to share with you my take on chickpeas baked in a clay pot, inspired by the cuisine of the Cyclades.

500 gr dried chickpeas
1 whole red onion, peeled
3-4 black peppercorns
3-4 pink peppercorns
3-4 allspice berries
2-3 bay leaves

2-3 fresh garlic sprigs, chopped (can be substituted with two garlic cloves, chopped)
6-7 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 ½ tsp dried wild oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 sprigs lemon thyme
2 red onions, peeled, cut in half and then thinly sliced
2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, sliced
200 ml olive oil
About 800 ml (4 cups) from the reserved cooking liquid (if not enough you can add some water)

Place the chickpeas in a bowl and cover with cold water.

Soak overnight.

The next day drain them, rinse them and place them in a large saucepan. Cover with fresh water and then add the bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice, and 1 whole red onion, peeled.

Place on medium high heat, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until the chickpeas are somewhat softened but still too hard to eat.

While they simmer, keep an eye out for foaming.

Skim any foam from the surface using a slotted spoon.

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C.

Drain and reserve the cooking liquid.

Place the boiled chickpea mixture in an ovenproof clay pot or a Dutch oven. Add the chopped garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, diced carrot, oregano, lemon thyme, salt and ground pepper, and mix with a spoon.

On top, create a layer with the onion slices and then do the same with the sliced tomatoes.

Add the olive oil and enough reserved liquid to just reach the chickpeas (but not the tomatoes).

Season again with salt and pepper, place the lid so that it is well sealed and put in the oven.

Bake for about 2 ½ hours. Serve with some lemon juice if you like and warm, fresh bread!

Tips:
There are a few secrets to tasty baked chickpeas. First, avoid adding too much water – you want them to slow cook in their natural juices. Second, don’t skimp on the olive oil, they need it! And third, the onions (and the garlic) are key – again, don’t skimp on them.

To convert metric measurements to U.S. and British kitchen units, click here.

This article was originally published on May 5, 2020.