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Saturday, 31 May 2014

Chickpea Flatbreads - Dinner on "C" Day

So it's dinner time on "C" day and I used CHICKPEAS

I made Chickpea Flatbreads. These are so nutritious and delicious with wholesome chickpeas, potatoes, tomatoes and spinach. They make a filling and satisfying meal.




Servings: 8

Flatbread
2 cups warm water
2 tsp yeast
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt

Stuffing
1 onion, diced small
1 lb red potatoes (4-5 egg sized potatoes), diced
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp fresh ginger, minced or grated on a microplane
1/2 tsp cumin
2 - 3 tsp salt
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
10 oz baby spinach
1 - 2 tsp freshly ground pepper
lemon juice to taste



Prepare the Flatbread Dough
In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in 4 1/2 cups of flour along with the salt to form a shaggy dough. Turn this dough out onto a work surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until a smooth, tacky ball of dough is formed. If the dough is very sticky, add a little flour at a time to keep it from sticking. 

Clean your bowl and film it with a little olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover, and let the dough rise for about 2 hours. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days. (The dough is actually easier to work with when cool. No need to warm before shaping the flatbreads.)

Prepare the Stuffing

Warm a tbsp of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions with a half tsp of salt until they begin to brown. If they pick up some charred edges, even better. Add the potatoes with another pinch of salt and continue cooking until the potatoes are almost cooked through but still hard in the very middle. Clear a little space in the middle of the pan and add the spices with 1 tsp of salt. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and then stir the spices into the onions and potatoes.

Add the tomatoes and their juices and bring the stuffing to a simmer. Stir occasionally. Cook until the potatoes are completely soft and the sauce has reduced and thickened. Stir in the chickpeas, then stir in the spinach in two batches. Taste and add more salt, pepper, lemon juice and other seasonings as desired. If the stuffing looks soupy, let it simmer until thickened. 

Remove from heat. Stuffing can be made up to three days in advance.

Assemble and Bake Flatbreads

Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface and turn the dough out on top. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into a circle roughly 7-8 inches in diameter and 1/4" thick. Place a few spoonfuls of stuffing on the lower half of the dough, smoothing it into a single layer with a half-inch border around the edge. Fold the top of the flatbread over and pinch the edges closed. 

Transfer the flatbread to a baking sheet and repeat until all the dough has been used. Leave the prepared flat breads uncovered so the top dries out a little. 

Prepare the flatbreads as described and arrange them a few inches apart on a baking sheet. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Just before baking, poke holes in the tops of the breads and brush them with olive oil. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, until golden brown (do not flip). Allow to cool slightly and serve. 




CHICKPEAS aka Garbanzo Beans

These beans/peas have long been valued for their fiber content. Just 2 cups provide the entire daily value! While containing small but valuable amounts of conventional antioxidant nutrients like Vit. C, Vit. E, and beta-carotene, chickpeas also contain more concentrated supplies of antioxidant phytonutrients. They also provide a concentrated source of protein that can be enjoyed year-round and are available either dried or canned. 

Canned vs. Non-canned Chickpeas
(canned chickpeas are already cooked, but lose some of their nutrient value when cooked. You would still have to cook them, but when buying fresh they still come out more nutritious when you buy them fresh)

NutrientNon-CannedCannedNon-Canned Result
Protein14.5 grams11.9 grams14% greater
Fiber12.5 grams10.6 grams15% greater
Magnesium79 milligrams70 milligrams11% greater
Iron4.74 milligrams3.24 milligrams32% greater
Zinc2.51 milligrams2.54 milligrams1% lower
Folate282 micrograms161 micrograms43% higher
Vitamin B60.228 milligrams1.135 milligrams80% lower
Pantothenic Acid0.469 milligrams0.718 milligrams35% lower
Vitamin B20.103 milligrams0.079 milligrams23% higher

1 cup, cooked

Molybdenum  273.3%
Manganese  84.5%
Folate  70.5%
Copper  64.4%
Fiber  49.8%
Phosphorus  39.3%
Protein  29%
Iron  26.3%
Zinc  22.8%

Are you eating Chickpeas?

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