19 July, 2023
Spanish Spinach and Chickpea

Andalusian Spinach and Garbanzos / Espinacas con Garbanzos.
Ingredients
Base
- Chickpeas || 2 cans (15 oz) || 1 drained, 1 with liquid
- Vegetable Broth || 1-1/2 cups
Bread crumbs
- Bread, Crusty / Country loaf || 1-1/2 oz || Roughly cut the crusty bread into small pieces, larger than bread crumbs but smaller than croutons.
- Olive Oil || 1/4 cup
Spices
- Garlic || 6 cloves, minced
- Paprika, Smoked || 1 Tbsp
- Cumin, Ground || 1 tsp
- Salt || 1/4 tsp
- Cinnamon,Gground || 1/8 tsp
- Cayenne Pepper || 1/8 tsp
- Saffron || pinch
Other
- Tomatoes || 3 ea small Roma or similar -seeded, grated, skin discarded; or 1 cup canned diced
- Sherry Vinegar || 1-1/2 Tbsp
- –
- Spinach || 12 oz fresh spinach, de-stemmed
- –
- Olive Oil || 2 Tbsp
Steps
Chickpeas – simmer
- Add Broth and Chickpeas (including the reserved Chickpea liquid from one can) to a large saucepan or dutch oven.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.
- Simmer until the liquid is just below the top of the Chickpeas (approx 10-12 mins).
Bread crumbs (while Chickpeas are simmering)
- Heat the Olive Oil in a medium skillet until shimmering.
- Add the diced bread and saute, stirring frequently, until golden brown (3-5 mins)
- Add the Spices, stir and cook until fragrant (approx 30 secs)
- Stir in the Tomatoes and Vinegar.
- Remove from heat.
Once the liquid in the sauce pan is just below the top of the Chickpeas
- Add the Bread crumb mixture and Spinach with the Chickpeas.
- Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick with a consistency like stew (approx 5-10 mins longer).
- Remove from heat, stir in the 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil.
- Cover and let stand for 5 min.
Serve
Serve in a bowl over rustic bread slides.
Add addition Sherry Vinegar to taste. Or a drizzle of Olive Oil.
References
- Based on Cook’s Illustrated, March/April 2021.