The Roasted Chickpea Three-Way

This past weekend in the New York Times Magazine, Mark Bittman asks, “What Can’t You Make with Chickpeas?” He has a point: Is there anything chickpeas can’t do? We know around here that, through witchcraft, chickpeas can transform into cookies. They can also turn into cake, brownies, sweet or savory muffins, crackers, socca, and even this weird, creamy, magical concoction called hummus.

So, can we have our chickpeas and eat them, too? Can chickpeas really have it all? And, most importantly: do we have room for more? The answer is almost certainly yes, yes, and yes.

Roasted chickpeas are a simple, healthy, delicious snack. I know from the Ask a Glutton comments thread that a lot of you make them already. There are plenty of recipes out there — even Martha has her version. I’ve tested out too many methods, and I’ve found that dry-roasting, and then tossing the chickpeas in seasoning for the last few minutes works best for me. Olive oil burns at high temperatures, but with sloooooow dry-roasting, the chickpeas get fabulously crunchy without getting charred, and the seasoning still has time at the very end to absorb and caramelize. Eat THIS, Mark Bittman.

Maple-Coconut Roasted Chickpeas

1 ½ cups chickpeas (or one 15 oz. can, well drained)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Sriracha-Lime Roasted Chickpeas

1 ½ cups chickpeas
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½–1 tablespoon Sriracha (depending on how much heat you like!)
1 teaspoon lime juice
¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Honey-Cinnamon-Ginger Roasted Chickpeas

1 ½ cups chickpeas
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cover a large tray with parchment paper.

2. Sandwich the chickpeas between a few sheets of paper towels and blot them dry. You’ll need more paper towels than you think — the drier, the crunchier!

3. Spread out the chickpeas on the parchment paper, and remove any of the skins that easily pop off since these can burn. Then, place the tray in the oven to dry-roast for 45 minutes. Open the oven every 10 minutes or so and give the tray a little shake so that the chickpeas cook evenly. (And if, like me, you’re liable to get distracted and then suddenly smell something burning, set a timer for 10-minute intervals).

4. While they cook, prepare your choice of seasoning in a big bowl (one that has enough room to toss the chickpeas).

5. When there are about five minutes left, remove the tray from the oven, gently lift the parchment paper and slide those chickpeas right into your bowl of seasoning. Mix until well-coated.

6. Pour the chickpeas back onto the parchment and pop the tray back in the oven. Bake for the remaining five minutes.

7. Remove, and let them cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve at room temperature. I like to store these in the freezer in a zip-lock back, and just hover by the fridge, crunching the day away.

Previously: The Carrot-Almond Breakfast Cake

Natalie Eve Garrett is an artist who likes surprises and loves olive oil. You can buy prints of her paintings here.