Chickpea Fries

Ok, so in my last post I was talking about the warm Spring weather and how it was time to eat lots of salads. A few days later and it's cold and windy outside. That's March for you - unpredictable.

So now that it feels too cold to eat salad, I've been cooking chilis and stews and craving favorite comfort foods. One favorite I have been thinking about is chickpea fries. I first had them at Peacefood Cafe in NYC. In fact, I wrote about them in my review of Peacefood Cafe 2 years ago. I wrote then "The famous chickpea fries got their reputation for a reason. They are large, crispy, spicy and addictive. They come with a creamy house dipping sauce. This is definitely one of those appetizers where you start negotiations over who gets the last one."

Chickpea Fries were definitely on my to-do list of favorite appetizers I had to make for myself and I did. They are incredibly fast and easy to make. It's just like making Polenta Fries except I pan-fried these instead of baking them. My Chickpea Fries are large, crispy, spicy and addictive. I served them with a creamy dipping sauce. And I'll let you guess who got the last one. Enjoy!

Chickpea Fries

Ingredients

2 cups water

1 cup chickpea flour

2 Tbs. safflower oil, divided

1 tsp. Kosher salt

½ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. paprika

½ tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Oil or cooking spray for pan

Directions
Bring the water to a boil in a medium sized saucepan. Add the chickpea flour slowly and stir until smooth. Add 1 Tbs. oil and spices and mix for another minute or two until it is thickened. Remove from the heat. Oil a small baking dish or casserole pan. Spread the chickpea batter into the pan evenly, smoothing the top with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight until it is firm and solid.

Remove from the refrigerator. Loosen the edges with a butter knife or thin spatula. Turn the dish over while keeping one hand on the chickpea block and carefully let the block land on a cutting board. Cut the block into fries. You should get at least 16 fries depending on the size you cut them.

Heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium high heat and cook the chickpea fries until they are browned and crispy on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel lined dish or cooling rack and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Serve with your favorite dip.

The "V" Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.