It took food-science geek Alton Brown of the Food Network’s Good Eats to figure out that the way to make roasted chickpeas as crispy as the fried ones was to let them dry in an oven as they cool. I take the method further than he does: to guarantee that they’ll be even crispier, I like to roast them slowly and let them sit in the oven for even longer. Now, finally, the homemade thing can approach the store-bought snack. I like to experiment with various spices and spice mixes as seasoning for these: use your favorite or keep experimenting.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Put a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven as it heats.
- Put the chickpeas in a salad spinner and spin to dry. Transfer them to a line of paper towels and put another section of paper towels on top, rubbing gently to further dry. Let air-dry for at least 30 minutes. In a bowl, toss them with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the spice(s).
- Transfer the chickpeas to the preheated baking sheet and roast for 1 hour, until the chickpeas have slightly darkened and begin to get crisp on the edges. Leave them in the oven but turn off the heat and let the chickpeas cool in the oven (resist the urge to open the door!) as the temperature drops, about 2 hours.
- Remove and let finish cooling at room temperature. When completely cool, drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Taste and add more salt and/or spices if needed.
- Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Reprinted with permission from Cool Beans: The Ultimate Guide to Cooking with the World's Most Versatile Plant-Based Protein, with 125 Recipes by Joe Yonan, copyright © 2020. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Photography credit: Aubrie Pick © 2020
