Oh, oh, oh, these are soooo good. Who would have thought that garbanzo flour, water, salt and pepper, and a bit of olive oil could taste so rich? So buttery?
This month, Lori of Lip Smacking Goodness chose chickpea (garbanzo) fries by Mark Bittman. Ever since I saw a similar recipe in Michel Richard’s Happy in the Kitchen, I’ve been wanting to make them, and I was happy that Lori picked this quick and easy recipe for Recipes to Rival. You can find the original recipe at Lori’s blog.
I cut the recipe in half, and then pan fried half of them in olive oil and baked the others. A light sprinkle of parmigiano reggiano, and I was good to go. Both versions were delicious; the fried ones were crispier, of course. The key to these, I think, is not to skimp on the salt. Think: polenta. If you don’t season it well, it never quite recovers. Ditto with these fries because, basically, they are a firm polenta made with garbanzo flour, not cornmeal.
I loved these, and I encourage you to give them a try. Be sure to check out the R2R blogroll to see what the other group members have been up to, and join us next month when we are making my pick! Recipe after the jump.
CHICKPEA FRIES
Adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everythingolive oil, for greasing and frying
1/2 cup chickpea flour, sifted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Finely grated Parmesan cheese for garnish1. Grease a baking sheet or pizza pan with a rim and set aside. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium pot. Gradually add the chickpea flour with a large pinch of salt and pepper, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Reduce to a gentle bubble, stir int he olive oil and cook for just a minute. Give it a quick taste, and add more salt if needed.
2. Scoop the chickpea mixture onto the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Let cool for a few minutes and then cover loosely with parchment or plastic. Refrigerate until chilled through, about 30 minutes (but up to a day, covered tightly, after it’s completely cool).
3. Put 1/8 to 1/4 inch oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, cut the chilled chickpea flour mixture into 3 x 1/2- inch rectangles. Gently put batches of the fries into the hot oil, rotating them gently for even cooking and browning on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Drain the fries on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with salt, lots of pepper and a good dusting of Parmesan if you like. Serve hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges (optional).
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12 users responded in this post
All I can say is: YUM! Delicious picture.
You are so right about the salt. I am glad I added garlic powder and onion powder as well. I am glad you enjoyed the challenge.
They look great! Good tip about the seasoning, and I like Lori’s idea to use garlic and onion powder too.
Ciao ! we loved these too ! I made them too thin but they were great !
Oooo pour on the seasonings and bring them on.
Beautiful!!
These, of course, look wonderful. Thanks so much for the tip about seasoning and the similarity of this dish to polenta.
These look fantastic! I am going to have to try them out!
Yeah, those look great! I did enjoy these as well as the falafel, but I am with you – bring me a hot fudge sundae instead! 🙂
Thanks for dropping by…
Ayayaya… those awesome fries are tempting me everywhere on the R2R blogroll!
Quick question – would they taste better cut thicker or thinner?
These fries sound excellent! Very yummy!
Kavs – I think the size I made them or thicker, otherwise I think they will fall apart.
I had wondered how panfrying would work, they certainly look great! Good job.