Daaamn, I even want to eat that having just ate one! So, after all my talk of raw, here is a recipe for something not raw. But! I disclaimer-ed with the whole, easing into it thing, and this does fit the vegetarian guidelines.

This is a riff on a New York Times recipe (you’ll notice I really like them…maybe I’ll start a project called, “Cooking the NY Times” or some such. Come to think of it, I live in a project called “Cooking the NY Times”. So, there’s that.)

Anyhoo, the NY Times calls this: Mediterranean Smashed Chickpeas. Here’s my take…keep in mind I really like spicy and alter yours as needed:

INGREDIENTS

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• Salt and pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 habanero peppers (or other hot pepper) WITH seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 4 cups cooked chickpeas (I like mine dried — just make sure you have enough to yield 4 cups, about 2 cups dried did it for me).
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• hard boiled egg
• avocado

PREPARATION

1. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook gently until softened, and even a bit browned, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, peppers, cumin seeds and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine let sizzle for 1 minute or 2.
2. Add chickpeas and let them heat through. With a potato masher or wooden spoon, crush about half the beans. Stir well, taste and adjust seasoning. Add 1/2 cup water (or bean cooking liquid if you have it) and let mixture simmer briskly for a minute or two. Stir in lemon juice. Serve warm in pita topped with slices of hard boiled egg and avocado and drizzled with Tahini sauce.

(To make tahini sauce, mix 1/4 cup tahini with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons olive oil.)

So, I didn’t have any pita, as you can see from the photo. I highly recommend it. As delicious as this was, it was definitely unwieldy, and I’m sure pita would fix that.  But, yum!!! My god I love food.