If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know how much I love Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipes. I’m not a vegetarian, but his unique take on vegetables is very inspiring. I knew I wanted to try this Slow-Cooked Chickpeas on Toast with Poached Egg from his book Plenty More the moment I saw it. I’m always looking for ways to incorporate more plant-based proteins into my into diet and this take on beans on toast seemed refreshing and sounded incredible.
This variation on beans on toast involves 4 hours cooking and a bit of planning ahead: you need to soak the chickpeas overnight. You can’t use canned, because the whole recipe relies on the chickpeas withstanding a long, slow simmer that infuses them with a lot of flavor.
Having said that, this is a very low-maintenance dish. Perfect for a winter weekend, it’s ultimate comfort and cozy. The slow, long simmer means you’re free to do anything you want while it simmers away. You can do your home workout, spend hours on tiktok, take a bath, catch up on the news, anything your heart desires. The result is a spicy, rich, deep stew and chickpeas that are impossibly soft. The kind of flavor that only slow-cooking can bring about.
The chickpeas sit perfectly on a piece of toast and the poached egg adds a lovely creaminess to it. If you want to keep it vegan, though, the beans don’t really need anything else. The bean on toast combo is great on its own.
It tastes wonderful the next day, too. And rewarm great for lunch.
poach the eggs
Poaching the eggs can be a little bit daunting, but it’s actually a very easy process.
Adding vinegar to the boiling water is essential to help set the egg white and keep its shape as it cooks.
To be honest, they don’t always turn out looking perfect, but that’s okay!
Fill a shallow saucepan with enough water for a whole egg to cook in. Add 1 tbsp vinegar and bring to a rapid boil.
Carefully crack the egg into a cup, then gently pour into the boiling water. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and set it aside. After about 4 minutes the egg should be poached to perfection. Using a slotted spoon remove the egg and dab it on a paper towel to remove any excess water.
Although not a necessary step, I like creating a vortex by vigorously stirring the water in a circle using a spoon right before adding the egg. One at a time, carefully pour the egg in the middle of the vortex. After a few minutes, gently lift out the egg with a slotted spoon.
Slow-Cooked Chickpeas on Toast with Poached Egg
Ingredients
- 220g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of cold water and 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 1/2 tsp tomato paste
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 medium red peppers, diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 4 slices of sourdough, brushed with olive oil and grilled on both sides
- 4 eggs, poached
- salt and black pepper
Directions
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place in a large saucepan, cover with plenty of cold water and set over a high heat. Bring to a boil, skim the surface, and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Place the oil, onion, garlic, tomato paste, cayenne, paprika and red pepper in a food processor, 1 tsp of salt and some black pepper. Blitz to form a paste.
- Add the paste to a large saucepan over medium heat. Fry for 5 minutes (there’s enough oil there to allow for this), stirring occasionally, before adding the tomato, sugar, chickpeas and 200ml of water. Bring to a low simmer, cover the pan and cook on a very low heat for 4 hours, stirring from time to time and adding more water when needed to retain a sauce-like consistency.
- Remove the lid and cook for a final hour: the sauce needs to thicken without the chickpeas becoming dry.
- Place a piece of warm grilled sourdough on each plate and spoon over the chickpeas. Lay a poached egg on top, followed by a sprinkle of za’atar and a drizzle of oil.
If you make this Slow-Cooked Chickpeas on Toast with Poached Egg please be sure to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you and I love responding to every comment. And don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram. I’d love to see your photos!
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