Crunchy Chick Peas Snack Food

CRUNCHY ROASTED CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Drain and dry chickpeas very well. Dry them up using some paper towels and leave them in a colander until they have dried as much as possible (OR you can spread them on a large baking sheet lined with paper towel for a while.)
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and position a rack right in the middle.
• Spread the chickpeas well on a bare baking sheet (do not line the baking sheet with parchment or foil.) Drizzle a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and season with kosher salt. Toss chickpeas and make sure they are well-coated with the olive oil. Spread them out well on the sheet.
• Roast in heated oven anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes or so for even cooking. Don't rush it, make sure the chickpeas turn a deeper golden brown and the exterior is nice and crispy, that's when they're ready.
• Season roasted chickpeas. Once you take the chickpeas out of the oven, immediately season with spices of your choice. This time, I used za'atar, sumac, and harissa blend (up to 2 tsp each) for warm Middle Eastern and Moroccan notes. Play with the amounts to your liking, and change up the spices according to what you have. (see more flavor ideas up in the post)

ACTUALLY CRISPY BAKED CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and set out a bare baking sheet (or more, as needed).
• Drain chickpeas well. If using oil, rinse well with water and thoroughly drain. If omitting oil, simply drain well and skip rinsing with water.
• Once drained well, spread the chickpeas out on a clean, absorbent towel and use your hands to gently roll and dry the chickpeas. Some of the skins should start coming off. You can opt to peel all of the chickpeas - which can help for extra crispiness! - or simply remove the skins that come off. Either way, the chickpeas will crisp up. I just found that peeling them does yield slightly crispier chickpeas.
• Transfer the chickpeas to a mixing bowl and top with oil (or omit) and salt. Mix well to combine. DO NOT add the other seasoning at this point - it can interrupt the crisping process, so wait to add until after baking.
• Bake for a total of 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and dry/crispy to the touch. I like turning my pan around and shaking the chickpeas around at the halfway point for even cooking. Note: peeled chickpeas cook faster than unpeeled. If omitting oil, they will also cook faster.
• Remove from oven and toss with seasonings (if desired) while still warm. Then let cool 5-10 minutes - they will continue crisping as they cool.
• Serve as is or atop bowls or salads! To store, place in a storage container or jar and DO NOT tightly cover. Instead, crack lid so they can "breathe" a bit. I found that this helped them stay crispy longer. These are best in the first day, but they will last for 4-5 days at room temperature. Alternatively, seal well and freeze up to 1 month.

CRUNCHY CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Drain the chickpeas in a colander and rinse well. Dry the chickpeas with a few whirls in a salad spinner. Remove the chickpeas from the salad spinner onto a paper towel-lined half-sheet pan. Top with another layer of paper towels and roll, pat to dry further.
• Remove the paper towels from the sheet pan and toss the chickpeas with the olive oil and salt. Bake for 30 minutes.
• Turn off the oven and leave the chickpeas to dry and become crispy, approximately 1 hour.
• Toss the still-warm chickpeas with the sumac and cayenne pepper. Cool completely before consuming or storing.

SIMPLE ROASTED CHICKPEA SNACK

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Whisk the oil, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper together in a small bowl; add the chickpeas and toss to coat. Spread into a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Roast in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned and slightly crispy, about 45 minutes.

CRISPY CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray.
• Put the chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel or several paper towels and dry thoroughly. In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with the smoked salt and toss again. Transfer in an even layer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake, shaking the pan halfway through the baking time, until the chickpeas are crunchy, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool at least 1 hour; the chickpeas will become crunchier as they cool. These are best eaten within 1 day.

CRISPY CHICKPEA SNACK

Steps:

• Drain, rinse, and spread chickpeas on paper towels. Let air-dry for 1 hour, then pat dry.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Pour oil onto a rimmed baking sheet and preheat in oven for 10 minutes. Carefully remove pan from oven and add chickpeas. Toss to coat. Roast, stirring a few times, until golden and crispy, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then toss in a bowl with garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Chickpeas can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.