DRIED PULSES WEEK: Aromatic chickpeas stew with black olives

Great idea to cook this super nutritious and tasty pulse! The chickpeas are so versatile and why not have them as a stew in a light tomato sauce and enriched with the distinctive flavour of black olives! Feta cheese and fresh crusty bread will complete this meal in the best way!

Recipe of Nana Dareioti,
"BHMAgourmet" magazine of "TO BHMA" newspaper (2010)

Ingredients (for 4-5 people):
500 gr. of chickpeas

1 tin of tomatoes concassé (or 1Kg of fresh ripe tomatoes, finely chopped)

1 tbsp of tomato paste

3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp of anise seeds, ground

1 shot-glass of ouzo

salt
black pepper (or medium-hot red pepper)

15-20 black olives, pitted and cut in half (or quarters if too big)

6-7 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Method:
The day before, soak the chickpeas in a large bowl filled with water, changing it 2-3 times in the meantime.

Next day, drain in a colander, rinse well and boil in plenty of water in a pot (without any salt). When they start softening, drain in the colander keeping aside 2 cups of their liquid.

Get 1 cup of the chickpeas and mash thoroughly with a fork.

Transfer all the chickpeas back to the pot (along with the liquid you kept aside), add the tomatoes, the tomato paste, the garlic, the anise seeds, the ouzo and the olive oil. Season with salt.

Cook the ingredients in medium-low heat and when the food liquids start reducing add in the pot the olives. Turn the heat down to low and simmer the food for not more than 15 minutes and until a nicely thickened sauce is left in the pot.

Serve the food while it is still hot seasoning on top with the black or red pepper.

Notes:
• The reason of mashing some chickpeas is to help the food to become a bit more mushy.

• For extra flavour drizzle on top of each plate with some extra olive oil.