From Moorish roots to the Mediterranean
As is so often the case in Spanish cuisine, we have the Moors to thank for the origins of this dish. Both main ingredients are Middle Eastern: spinach arrived in the Mediterranean from Persia (modern-day Iran), and chickpeas from the Levant (today’s Lebanon, parts of Syria, western Jordan, and Israel).
This is a quick, simple dish to prepare, and all the ingredients are easily found here in Spain. It is vegan-friendly, although salted cod also works beautifully with the main ingredients if you wish. It is equally suited as a ‘tapa’ or ‘ración’ before the main dish.
The list of ingredients is very short, so we recommend using the best quality available. We haven’t included any measurements, as they are approximate and can be adjusted according to taste.
Ingredients
- Chickpeas (known locally as ‘cigrons’ in Catalan or ‘garbanzos’ in Spanish)
- Spinach
- Almonds, peeled
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Stale bread, broken into fairly small pieces
- A couple of cloves of garlic, finely chopped or, preferably, minced
- Salt and black pepper
- Tomato paste
- Red wine vinegar
- Spices to taste, such as paprika, cayenne pepper or cumin
Preparation
- Sauté the spinach in a little olive oil until wilted, then set aside.
- Add a little more olive oil to the pan, then, over a low to medium heat, brown the bread, almonds, garlic and spices.
- Once browned, transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until it forms a smooth paste.
- Return the paste to the pan and add the drained chickpeas.
- Stir in the tomato paste, adjusting the quantity to taste.
- Mix the whole lot together in the pan over medium heat
- Finally, return the spinach to the pan and mix well.
So there you have it! About as simple and comforting a recipe as you could hope for. Keep tasting and adjusting as you go; it’s almost impossible to get this wrong.