Road Food

I just made one of my favorite road snacks as I get ready to leave town, and thought I’d share the recipe, such as it is. You can add a drizzle of olive oil in the tossing stage, but personally I like them oil-free because I find the steering wheel gets greasy if I’m eating them when driving.

I also like the drier, crispier texture of the oil-free variety, though I’ll admit the "mouthfeel" of the oiled ones is superior. In any case, these are a great and much healthier substitute for peanuts or potato chips.

Roasted Garbanzos

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Open a can of garbanzo beans, aka chickpeas, and drain in a colander or mesh strainer, tossing a bit. I often add either finely chopped rosemary or curry power to taste, though I also like them plain or with just a sprinkle of sea salt. If you’re adding oil, now’s the time to do it, while tossing. If you add the oil once they’re in the pan, they get too greasy.

3. Take a non-stick sheet pan or one covered with parchment paper, spread drained beans in a single layer.

4. Put in oven. Every ten minutes or so, give the pan a shake. If you notice any beans sticking, free them with a spatula. Rotate pan as necessary. The beans usually take about half an hour or a little more, depending on your oven and how dark you like them. Personally, I like them golden with some darker golden-brown spots, but just keep tasting one or two as you check them until they’re a consistency you like. The longer they’re in the oven, the drier and crispier they get.

5. Cool and store at room temperature. I can’t tell you how long they’ll last, though, because I usually wind up eating them all within a couple hours.

Enjoy!