Revithia sto Fourno — Sifnos-Style Slow-Baked Chickpeas

⏱ 210 min · Serves 4

The island classic: chickpeas baked low and slow with onion, rosemary and good olive oil until they turn creamy and sweet, with a rich lemony broth begging for bread. Almost no work, just patience.

Per serving: 540 kcal · 17.0g protein · 47.0g carbs · 32.0g fat

Ingredients

• 300g dried chickpeas
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (for soaking)
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 120ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato purée (optional)
• 1.2 litres hot water
• 1.5 tsp fine sea salt
• Black pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• Crusty bread and feta, to serve

Method

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl, cover generously with cold water, stir in the bicarbonate of soda and leave to soak overnight (at least 10 hours).
2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas very well. Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan.
3. Tip the chickpeas into a deep casserole or clay pot with the onions, garlic, bay, rosemary, paprika and tomato purée if using. Pour over the olive oil and toss to coat.
4. Add the hot water — it should cover the chickpeas by about 3cm — plus 1 tsp of the salt and plenty of pepper. Stir once.
5. Cover with a lid (or foil) and bake for 2 hours, undisturbed.
6. Uncover, stir gently, and bake for a further 45–60 minutes until the chickpeas are meltingly soft, the onions have collapsed and the liquid has reduced to a glossy, oily broth. Add a splash of hot water if it looks dry.
7. Taste and add the remaining salt as needed. Fish out the bay and rosemary stalks. Rest 10 minutes, then serve hot with lemon wedges to squeeze over, crumbled feta and lots of bread.