While I enjoy any and all cuisines, as of late, I’ve become increasingly interested in my own cultural food identity. I’m Eastern European (by way of Queens, NY) Jewish by decent. Yes, I grew up fondly eating bagels and lox, though have slowly begun to explore what lies beyond. Have never gravitated towards the heavy, meat-based stews; overcooked, dried-out brisket and odd, sweet-savory kugels of my youth. Rather, am intrigued with the fresher, lighter dishes of the Sephardic Jews.

According to Wikipedia, Sephardic Jews were “traditionally established communities of the Iberian Peninsula, namely modern Spain and Portugal. Largely expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in the late 15th century (aka Spanish Inquisition), they carried a distinctive diasporic identity with them to North Africa, including modern day Morocco, Algeria, Tunisa, Egypt, Libya, South-Eastern and Southern Europe, including Italy, Greece, and the Balkans; Turkey, Anatolia, the Levant, as well as the Americas. And all the other places of their exiled settlement.” 

Espinacas con garbanzos or spinach and chickpeas…is this dish Jewish? Or Jewish-Spanish (Sephardic)?? Yes, no, maybe??? I once had a woman yell at me when I called Shakshuka a Jewish dish, eek. The ‘authenticity’ of food can certainly be a fraught subject.

Nonetheless, this is a simple, yet hearty and delicious vegetarian/vegan stew that’s perfect come autumn (and winter). Its base consists of toasted Marcona almonds (almonds grown in the coastal areas of Spain, mainly in the region around Valencia and the Alicante; roasted in olive oil and then sprinkled with sea salt; read: addictive) and toasted sourdough bread, which lend the dish a rich toasty and nutty flavor. A good amount of spinach and garlic (I’ve tried it with kale and it’s equally tasty) cooked chickpeas (from dried, although, you can opt for canned) and a handful of spices round out things.

I served with fregula sarda, a spherical pasta (from the Italian island of Sardinia) made with semolina and water, and pre-toasted for nuttiness.

Hope you enjoy!

Spinach and Chickpea Stew

Adapted from My Jewish Learning
1/4 cup olive oil
10 ounce spinach (or kale), roughly chopped
1/3 cup minced garlic
1/2 cup Marcona Almonds (regular almonds work well too)
2 slices sourdough bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
18 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
18 ounces cooked chickpeas
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus extra for servings
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Salt & pepper to taste
Fregula sarda or Israeli couscous for serving
Chopped parsley for serving

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the oil and allow to heat for a minute or until the oil gets hot. Add the garlic and spinach. Cook the spinach and garlic until the spinach is just wilted. Remove and set aside. 

Add another tablespoon or so of olive oil to the skillet and add the almonds and sourdough bread cubes. Cook until the bread cubes and almonds are toasted and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Keep a close eye to ensure neither burns (my almonds were done before the bread). In a food processor, grind the toasted almonds and bread into a paste.

Add the tomatoes to the skillet followed by the bread-almond paste. Cook down for about 10 minutes. Add the spinach and garlic mixture and then the chickpeas, paprika, cumin, cayenne, and salt & pepper. Simmer until thick, about 15 minutes (add a little water if it gets dry).

To serve, spoon fregula or couscous onto the center of each plate or bowl. Spoon some of the stew over the top. Sprinkle a little paprika and fresh parsley on top. Finish with a drizzle of your favorite olive oil.