Crisp Chickpeas with Smoked Paprika
Getting these properly crisp rather than merely dry is entirely about drying the chickpeas first and adding the paprika last. Both steps take a minute and both are non-negotiable.
- Prep 10 min
- Cook 40 min
- Total 50 min
- Serves 4
- Vegan
Method
Step 1. Heat the oven to 200°C fan.
Step 2. Dry the chickpeas properly. Spread them on a clean tea towel, lay another on top, and roll them about. Rub off any loose skins as you go — they burn before the chickpea crisps. This is the single thing that determines whether this works.
Step 3. Toss the dry chickpeas with the oil and the fine salt and spread them over a large baking tray in one layer. Two trays if they are crowded.
Step 4. Roast for 40 minutes, shaking the tray every 15 minutes. They are ready when they are deep gold, sound hard when they hit the tray, and a couple have split.
Step 5. Mix the spice ingredients in a large bowl while the chickpeas roast.
Step 6. Tip the hot chickpeas straight into the spice bowl and toss hard. Adding paprika before roasting makes it bitter and black; adding it now makes it cling and stay sweet.
Step 7. Eat warm. They lose their crunch within a few hours, which is rarely a problem.
Notes from the kitchen
- They will soften in a sealed container. If you must keep them, leave the container open, and revive them in a hot oven for 6 minutes.
- The pinch of sugar is doing real work — smoked paprika is faintly bitter and a little sweetness rounds it off.
- Scattered over soup, a salad, or a bowl of yoghurt, they earn their place as a crouton that happens to be full of protein.
