Swiss Chard & Chickpeas Cooked in a Tomato Sauce
Pazi kon garvansos
Pazi kon garvansos is a rustic stew of dark green, velvety Swiss chard and earthy golden chickpeas cooked in a flavorful tomato sauce.
Both spinach and chickpeas were introduced to Spain in the Middle Ages by the Moors and adopted and cooked for centuries by the Jews in Andalusia. This dish was lightly spiced with a Spanish smoked sweet paprika - Pimenton de la Vera. Espinaca kon Garbanzos is still a staple in Spain, served as a tapas appetizer or as a side dish to grilled foods or even as a vegan main dish accompanied with white rice pilaf.
Rodesli home cooks make similar renditions with Swiss chard fragrant with fresh dill, lemon juice and often a touch of cumin. This delicious version is served with a slab of tangy Greek feta cheese and lots of crusty bread.
Pazi kon garvansos, as it is known in Ladino, often appears at the Sephardic New Year’s table as Swiss chard symbolizes newness and chickpeas augurs fullness and hope for the coming year. Enjoy the weekend with this Rodesli favorite healthy meal! Buen provecho.
Ingredients
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ tsp ground cumin (or Pimenton de la Vera, sweet paprika)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup peeled, seeded, chopped ripe tomatoes (or canned)
1 tsp sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1lb (500g) fresh Swiss chard, rinsed, stalks removed and shredded into ½ in (1.25cm) ribbons (reserve 1 cup of chard stalks cut into ½ in (1.25cm) slices)
½ cup hot vegetable broth or water
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, lemon wedges and a slab of feta cheese, to serve
Preparation
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large, shallow, heavy-based pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, chard stalks and garlic and cook, stirring until softened.
Stir in the chickpeas and cumin (or paprika if using). Pour in the tomato paste, tomatoes, sugar and season with salt and pepper. Pile about two-thirds of the chard on top of the chickpeas and tomatoes. Cover and continue cooking for about 6 minutes or until the chard has cooked down.
Stir in the remaining chard with 1 tbsp olive oil, dill and lemon juice. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Shake the pan to distribute the ingredients evenly but do not stir. Add hot broth or water if necessary. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve in a shallow dish, drizzle with additional olive oil, lemon wedges and feta cheese (optional).
Stella’s hint:
*I prefer using dried chickpeas for better flavor. Soak 1 cup dried chickpeas overnight in twice their volume of cold water, then drain and rinse. The next day cook chickpeas in a large pan with enough cold water to cover. Add 1 onion and bay leaf. Simmer for 2 hours or until the chickpeas are tender but not mushy adding more hot water as necessary. When the chickpeas are tender, drain, discard onion and bay leaf.
Twist on Tradition: Pazi kon grano
§ Swiss chard and chickpeas cooked with rice becomes a complete one-pan meal. When the Swiss chard has cooked down, make a hollow in the center of the stew with a wooden spoon. Add ½ cup of washed and drained long grain rice. Gently pour in 1 cup hot water with ½ tsp salt onto the mound of rice. Cover and simmer leaving the rice undisturbed until it is cooked and has absorbed the liquid. Serve in the pan.