Middle Eastern Chickpea Nachos

We LOVED this dinner (3 out of 4 kids). So fresh and different. It's from Smitten Kitchen (though with heavily simplified instructions because she always includes complicated alternatives).

It has four parts: toasted pita chips, spiced chickpeas, cucumber "relish", and yogurt sauce (I'm obviously not a food photographer...so sue me :-)

Serves 6 generously, if eaten nacho-style

For the chickpeas
4 15-ounce cans chickpeas (or prepare from dried)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika or sumac
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Few gratings fresh lemon zest
Salt to taste
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (she has different instructions for dry peas)

Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large, heavy pot such as a Dutch oven, heat olive oil in the bottom of the pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add garlic and saute garlic and onions together for 3 to 4 minutes more, until everything is wilted. Add spices, zest and salt and cook with onions and garlic for one minute. 

Add drained soaked or canned chickpeas and broth. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for one full minute. Place a lid on the pot and transfer it carefully to the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes.

While the chickpeas bake:

Pita Chips 

6 or so store-bought pitas (we used whole wheat from Aldi)

Separate the layers of pitas and cut into wedges. Arrange on a large baking sheet and brush lightly with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake alongside chickpeas for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing occasionally to ensure that they toast evenly. Let cool.

Cucumber Relish/Salad

Chop a handful of whatever decent-looking tomatoes you can find in March, and 1 large or a few smaller cucumbers into very small pieces.  Mix vegetables and dress to taste with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Lemon Sauce:

Whisk in the juice of a whole lemon, 1 minced garlic clove and 4 tablespoons water until smooth. Whisk in 1 cup plain yogurt, about 1/4 at a time, until smooth. Season with salt. Adjust all levels to taste. 

Serve and let everyone assemble: Start with a handful of pita chips, heap on the baked chickpeas, dollop on the yogurt sauce, tomato-cucumber “relish” salad.