Catalan Chickpeas with Spinach

gimmesomeoven.com
serves 4
Catalan chickpeas and spinach is one of my favorite classic tapas here in Barcelona.  It’s made with feel-good simple ingredients, it’s easy to make in just 15 minutes, and it always tastes so comforting.
Ingredients

• (5-ounces) fresh spinach, if not using baby spinach, cut leaves into smaller pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 small white onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus extra for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained*
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste

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Preparation

1. Place the spinach in a colander and rinse with water.  Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.  Add in the garlic, paprika, cumin and stir to combine.  Cook for 1 more minute, stirring occasionally.
3. Reduce heat to medium.  Add the still-wet spinach to the pan, cover with a lid, and wait for 1-2 minutes until the spinach has wilted.  Stir in the chickpeas and raisins until combined.  Then continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, until the chickpeas are heated through.
4. Taste and season generously with salt (I used about 1 teaspoon) and black pepper, to taste.
5. Serve warm, garnished with toasted pine nuts, an extra drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of paprika.  Or transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Notes*If you would like the chickpeas to be extra soft and juicy (like they are in Spain), just boil them in water for 10-20 minutes before adding them to the recipe.  It’s a simple step that will make a big difference!
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