Smith's Chef Jeff Jackson Recipe for Chickpea Melts
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves + 1 tsp. minced garlic
Sourdough loaf
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. + 2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. tomato paste
¼ tsp. red pepper flake
15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
½ c. chicken broth
¾ tsp. kosher salt + ¼ tsp. pepper + 1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
2 oz. baby spinach
4 oz. shredded gruyere cheese
Olive oil as needed
Directions
1. Heat your oven to 350. Add 2 tbsp. of oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add in the tomato paste, stir and cook another 3-4 minutes. Add in the chickpeas, tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper, sugar and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes.
2. Slice the bread in ½ inch thick slices. Place 4-6 slices of the bread on a sheet pan. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven to bake for 8-10 minutes or until toasted and lightly browned. Remove the toasts from the oven. Rub the whole garlic cloves over the toast to flavor it well. Set aside.
3. Add the spinach to the tomato mixture. Remove it from the heat.
4. Heat your oven to broil. Top the toast, still on the sheet pan, with the chickpea mixture. Top those with cheese and place in the oven under the broiler just until the cheese is melted. Serve warm. Enjoy!
You can find more recipes at smithsfoodanddrug.com.
