Food - Recipes For Sandy

An excellent low-glycemic-index recipe with chickpeas, which I love

Fattet Hummus

6 oz dried chickpeas
4 large cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1.5 cups whole milk plain yoghurt
2 whole wheat pita
1 tsp butter
2 Tbsp pine nuts
1/4 cup fresh mint
Cayenne pepper
salt to taste

Soak the chickpeas overnight in lots of water.

Peel the garlic. Roughly smash one clove. Drain off the chickpea-soaking liquid, and cook with garlic, bay leaf, and 3 cups cold water at a low simmer. Skim off any foam and cook till done. This will take an hour or more, depending on the age of the chickpeas.

Meanwhile, and mince the remaining garlic with a tiny pinch of salt. Strip the mint leaves from the stalks and chop most of them, leaving a few whole for garnish. Slit the pitas and separate the halves. Heat the oven to 450F and toast the pitas, inside up, till slightly crisp. Set aside to cool, then break them in pieces and layer them in a serving bowl. Beat the yoghurt with the mint and minced garlic till blended but not too stiff. Add a little liquid if needed. Melt the butter at medium heat and gently toast the pine nuts.

Drain the chickpeas, reserving most of the soaking liquid. Pour them over the pita crisps, adding the cooking liquid if needed to moisten the pitas. Pour yoghurt over, top with pine nuts and a pinch of cayennne, garnish with mint and serve. Spoon it out like a warm bread salad. Add a green salad on the side for needed nutrition.

If you like the yoghurt thicker, salt it lightly and tie it in a cheescloth over a bowl in the kitchen sink. Put a heavy weight, such as a plate with a can on top, on the cheesecloth bundle and drain off any water. The result is a soft, fresh cheese, called labneh. Delicious!

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