Shaved Courgette with Fried Chickpeas and Za’atar

Shaved Courgette with Fried Chickpeas and Za’atar

by Abra Berens

Abra Berens’ raw courgette salad with crispy chickpeas is perfect for any summer or early autumn feast, pairing well with grilled meat or seasonal vegetables. It’s one of many inspiring recipes in Abra’s brilliant book Grist: A Practical Guide to Cooking Grains, Beans, Seeds, and Legumes.

Anyone who's grown courgettes knows that they can come thick and fast. It's essential to have a variety of recipes up your sleeve to make the most of any glut.

Courgette is delicious served raw. The mild flavour of courgette  in this salad is lifted by a variety of herbs and za’atar. The chickpeas provide texture as a garnish, rather than a full serving of protein.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 200g cooked Chickpeas - or tried Carlin Peas, cooked or straight from the can or jar
  • ½ tsp Chilli Flakes (optional)
  • Salt, to taste
  • Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp Za’atar
  • 250ml Greek Yoghurt
  • 10 Sprigs of Parsley
  • 10 Sprigs of Coriander
  • 5 Sprigs Basil
  • 2 Sprigs of Mint
  • 3 to 4 Medium Courgettes or Summer Squash, shaved thinly with a knife or mandolin

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F/ 200C and line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the chickpeas with the chilli flakes (if using), a couple of pinches of salt, and several glugs of olive oil until well coated. Spread out on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the chickpeas are golden brown and slightly crisped on the outside, 15 to 20 minutes.
  2. In a small frying pan, heat 60 ml of olive oil over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Then remove it from the heat, add the za’atar, and let it steep for at least 10 minutes.
  3. Transfer the crisped chickpeas to a medium bowl and coat with the za’atar oil.
  4. Whisk the yoghurt until smooth and slightly fluffy.
  5. Either chop the herbs or pick whole leaves. Toss these with the shaved courgette, several glugs of olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Adjust the seasoning as desired.
  6. To serve, spoon the whipped yoghurt onto a serving platter. Pile the herby squash on top of the yoghurt and scatter the chickpeas all over. Drizzle any extra za’atar oil over the whole thing.

Reprinted from Grist: A Practical Guide to Cooking Grains, Beans, Seeds, and Legumes by Abra Berens with permission from Chronicle Books, 2021. Photographs © EE Berger.




Abra Berens
Abra Berens

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