Chickpeas Dressed with Fresh Basil Pesto

I adore summer for many reasons. Pretty much half of the year in Canada is dark and cold, so warmer weather and sunshine ought to be enjoyed. Of course, as someone who focuses on fresh ingredients and good flavor, I also relish the wonders of what I plant in the backyard each summer. Peppers are prominent in all their glory, as are tomatoes and herbs.

Usually two kinds of basil are an annual treat. Lemon basil just happens to be my favorite. Here I have used some of my harvest and pulsed it up to make a pesto to dress plump and buttery chickpeas.

If you want to make this recipe vegan, simply omit the goat cheese and adjust the amount of olive oil accordingly to make the paste. I did appreciate the creaminess the goat cheese added to the pesto, but either way, it is a delightful dish.

Chickpeas Dressed with Fresh Basil Pesto

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Published on August 11, 2014

Plump buttery chickpeas tossed with a simple and creamy spiced pesto — an easy and tasty summer meal

Preparation: 25 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup dried chickpeas (3 1/2 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans)
6 sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 cup fresh basil
1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri or other chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons goat cheese (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

Instructions:

Rinse the chickpeas and soak in several inches of water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium or large saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until tender.
Meanwhile, soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Toast the pine nuts in a small unoiled saucepan or frying pan over medium-low heat, tossing or stirring occasionally, until lightly browned — about 7 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Make the pesto by combining the sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, basil, jalapeños, chili powder, cumin, olive oil, goat cheese if using and salt in a food processor. Pulse until blended, adding more olive oil if necessary.
Drain the chickpeas when they are ready and toss with the pesto. Let cool for a while and enjoy with rice or some toasted pita triangles.

Makes 4 to 6 servings