Ingredients: 1 cup dried chickpeas (about 1/ 2 pound), picked over and soaked in water to cover overnight 3/4 pound beets, rinsed 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 medium-size onion, finely chopped 1 celery stalk, finely chopped 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/2 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, with the juices included Salt to taste Directions:1. Drain the chickpeas from their soaking water and place in a medium-size saucepan with several inches of water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-high heat until soft but not breaking apart, about 3 hours, uncovered or partially covered. Drain, reserving 1/ 2 cup of the chickpea cooking water. Set the chickpeas aside after rubbing off as much of their thin white skins as possible. 2. Place the whole, unpeeled beets, with an inch of their stems, in a medium- size pot of water to cover and bring to a boil. Let boil until easily pierced with a skewer, about 45 minutes. Drain, trim the stem, peel, and dice. Set aside. 3. In a large nonreactive skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, then cook the onion and celery until softened, about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the tomato paste and tomatoes with their juices, and cook until some of the water has evaporated, about 10 minutes, stirring a few times. Add the chickpeas and their reserved liquid and cook another 10 minutes. Add the beets and cook until heated through, an additional 10 minutes, seasoning with salt. Gently turn several times to mix the ingredients and serve. |