Chickpeas with Roasted Chestnuts and Baby Spinach

© Luga e Argjendtë

I reproduced at home the recipe “Ceci con Castagne” which I discovered at the occasion of agriturism and the Slow Beans event in Capannori, Italy, where I participated in October 2023. I added some leftover baby spinach, curcuma and cayenne pepper. Of course I added some olive oil and a soffritto con leftover leeks. Happy beans!

Ingredients

• 250 gr of dry chickpeas
• 3 tbsp ground oats
• 10 cm minced leek
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 7-8 roasted chestnuts
• A handful of baby spinach leaves
• Herbs to taste: oregano, sweet red pepper and some turmeric and pepperoncini

Instructions

1. Boil the chickpeas first
2. Add 3 tablespoons of ground oats and let the water thicken
3. Sauté 10 cm of minced leek in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of melted butter
4. Add the caramelized leek to the chickpea dish
5. Add 7-8 roasted chestnuts and let the dish continue to boil for almost 10 minutes
6. At the end, add small spinach leaves and some oregano, sweet red pepper and some turmeric and pepperoncini (follow your taste)
7. Serve the chickpeas warm and add a little extra virgin olive oil on the top