Chickpeas with Sweet Peppers and Eggplant

This is Greek comfort food at its best — tender chickpeas baked with sweet peppers in a rich tomato sauce. Add eggplant and it becomes even more substantial. It's a complete, satisfying meal with nothing but plants and good olive oil.

This is ladera cooking: generous oil, simple vegetables, slow cooking, incredible results.

Preparing the Chickpeas

The Night Before

1. Soak the chickpeas. Cover with plenty of cold water and let sit overnight. They'll expand significantly.

Cooking

2. Drain and rinse. Discard soaking water.

3. Boil. Place in a large pot with fresh water. Bring to a boil, skimming foam.

4. Season and simmer. Add salt and bay leaves. Cook until almost tender — about 45-60 minutes stovetop, or 12 minutes in a pressure cooker.

5. Reserve the broth. Keep the cooking liquid.

Making the Sauce

6. Sauté onions. Heat half the olive oil in a large pan. Add onions with a pinch of salt and cook until soft and golden, about 8-10 minutes.

7. Add peppers. Add the bell peppers (and eggplant if using) and cook until softened, another 8-10 minutes.

8. Add garlic and tomato. Stir in the garlic, cook for a minute, then add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, and herbs.

9. Simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.

Bringing It Together

10. Combine. Transfer chickpeas with their broth and the sauce to a large ovenproof casserole.

11. Add remaining oil. Pour the rest of the olive oil over everything.

12. Bake. 350°F (175°C) for 1-1.5 hours until the sauce is thick and rich.

13. Finish. Drizzle with more olive oil before serving.

About the Peppers

Use any color bell peppers you like:

• Red and yellow are sweeter
• Green adds slight bitterness
• Mix them for visual appeal and varied flavor

Variations

Without eggplant: The dish is traditional both ways.

With carrots: Add diced carrots with the onions for sweetness.

Different beans: Gigantes or cranberry beans work beautifully with the same sauce.

Serving

Serve warm or at room temperature with:

• Crusty bread for the sauce
• Crumbled feta on top (if not fasting)
• A simple lettuce salad

Storage

This dish improves overnight. Keeps refrigerated for 4-5 days, freezes well for up to 3 months.