Crispy Chickpeas

I will drive all the way across town to find fresh homemade pasta, an unusual spice or a special cut of meat. But if I have to find something to wear for an event, or a new pair of shoes, I cringe. I appreciate malls in theory, but in reality, am overwhelmed and intimidated. Thankfully a friend invited me to one of those in-home-clothes-shopping parties once and all my wardrobe problems were solved. Now I host two of these sprees every year.

It’s perfect for me… my friend Karen brings racks of clothes to try on, I invite some girlfriends over, pour a little wine, serve some snacks, and we shop… Talk about multi-tasking!

The first couple of times I hosted this party, I pulled out all the stops on appetizers. But I quickly learned that women who are trying on clothes don’t want filling, messy snacks. Just some little nibbles and wine.

Crispy Chickpeas {with various spices} have been showing up everywhere lately, and they are a great option.

I just made a fifth batch of these, and I have to say, I’ve got a new obsession. If you crave crunchy, salty snacks, add this one to your repertoire. You can roast them or pan-fry them – either way, they’re addictive.

These are a great addition to a salad, or a garnish for soup… or… just eat them by the handful like I do!

{You should know that chickpeas are actually – shhhhhh – beans. If you eat the whole batch, which is easy to do, don’t say I didn’t warn you.}

Crispy Chickpeas

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas {garbanzo beans}, drained and rinsed
olive oil
sea salt

Instructions

Make sure chickpeas are dry by wrapping in paper towels.
To roast: Preheat oven to 400º. Toss chickpeas with 1 Tbs olive oil and sea salt. Spread in single layer on baking sheet. Bake, shaking pan to turn chickpeas occasionally, for 20 minutes or until golden. Remove and place on paper towels to cool for 5 minutes. Serve.
To pan fry: Heat 3 Tbs olive oil in a cast iron pan or medium skillet. Add chick peas and stir, cooking until just golden. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.