Cece is the Italian name but, you may know this lovely legume by chickpeas or garbanzo beans. I always have cans at hand for hummus, salads and snacks, as well as a bag or two of the dried seeds. If you are only familiar with the canned variety, try cooking them up from their dried state … you can taste the difference!
Not only is this a tasty lemon and rosemary infused snack, it’s a healthy one too. A half of a cup has six grams of protein and fiber, one gram of fat and 110 calories. Roasted cece also add pizzazz to salads.
Ingredients:
- 2 (16-ounce) cans chickpeas (3 cups)
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 4-5 fresh rosemary sprigs
- Lemon zest from 1/2 lemon
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas and then place on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet for 15 minutes.Transfer the chickpeas to a bowl and toss with the lemon juice, olive oil and salt.
- Remove the paper towels from the baking pan and spread the chickpeas in a single layer. Top with the rosemary sprigs and lemon zest.
- Roast in a 400* oven until they are crisp and golden. This takes about 45-60 minutes, depending on your oven and how crunchy you like them.
- Let cool completely, discard the rosemary and store in an airtight container.
