Fried and True Garlic-ey Chickpeas

I’ve been obsessing over chickpeas for the last month. I really wanted to perfect a fried chickpea recipe, and I think I’ve finally come up with a winner, which I affectionately call Fried and True.

In my crazy exploration of fried chickpea recipes, I was hoping to imitate an appetizer from a local pub. Unfortunately, I didn’t really get that close. However, I did find many other people who share my love for these chickpeas, but no one with a reasonable facsimile of the much-loved dish. I guess some chefs just need to keep their secrets close to their heart.

Luckily (for you) I’m not about keeping secrets, so you can bring these tasty bites to your next party and share them freely with friends (don’t forget to share the recipe too).

Step 1: Ingredients

Gather:

• 1 19 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic (3 to 4 garlic cloves)
• 1/2 teaspoon Maldon sea salt flakes
• 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or smoked paprika if you don’t like spice

Step 2: Fry

Heat the canola oil in a frying pan. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chickpeas. Fry in the oil until crispy, about 8 minutes.

Step 3: Spice It Up

While the chickpeas fry, smash the garlic and salt together into a paste, then stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Step 4: Eat

When the chickpeas are done, use a slotted spoon to remove the chickpeas from the oil and into a paper towel lined bowl to drain excess oil. Toss the chickpeas and spices together.

They taste great at any temperature, but if you can keep them warm, even better.