Revithada – Greek Chickpea Stew

Revithada from the Cyclades! Chickpeas are the star of this stew. A traditional vegan dish from the Aegean islands.

I found a variety of recipes from these beautiful islands, and each one with its special touch.

I went with one from Serifos.

Use a package of dry chickpeas. Not the canned ones. This is done right if it is made from scratch.

You will bake these in an oven proof Dutch oven (or a gastra) for 3-4 hours, till they are tender and buttery.

Ingredients:

1 package of dried chickpeas,

1/3 cup of olive oil
Zest of 1 orange
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dry or fresh sage
1 tsp dry or fresh thyme
A sprig of fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 large red onion (coarsely chopped)

Directions:

Soak the chickpeas in cold water for 8 hours, or overnight. Drain the water and then toss them in a tablespoon of baking soda to tenderize for 20 minutes, and then rinse and drain.

Add the chickpeas into your Dutch oven with the rest of the ingredients.

Add water to about an inch above the chickpeas. Do not mix in the onion. It will caramelize if it floats on top!

Bake it covered at 375 F for 4 hours. At the 3 hour mark, check to see if it needs a little more water. If so, add 1/2 -1 cup of hot water, cover it up and back into the oven.

Serve it with fresh lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, flaked sea salt & dry oregano. It’s perfect with a side of feta cheese & good bread.

Kali Oreksi!