Roasted Patty Pan Squash and Herbed Chickpeas

By devogirl

Like all summer squashes, the patty pan squash is best eaten when young and small. Avoid patty pans that are larger than the palm of your hand: they will likely be watery and bland, and you will then miss out on the buttery and subtly sweet taste of the littler ones, and their faint artichoke flavor.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water for 12 hours and rinsed
• 1 2/3 pounds baby patty pan squash, about six 8-cm (3-inch) specimens
• olive oil
• salt
• a dozen stems chives
• 1 small handful fresh cilantro
• 8 leaves fresh mint
• 4 anchovies packed in oil, drained (substitute 1 tablespoon rinsed capers if you prefer)
• a good pinch cayenne pepper
• one strip lemon peel from an organic lemon
• 2 teaspoons verjuice or lemon juice
• freshly ground black pepper

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Place the soaked and rinsed chickpeas in a saucepan, add cold water to cover by about 2-3 cm (1 inch), and bring to a simmer over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until the chickpeas are tender but not mushy. As the chickpeas cook, add a little more water if the level runs low, and skim any foam or impurities that may rise to the surface. Let cool to room temperature in the cooking liquid, then drain.

(The chickpeas may be cooked up to a day ahead. Once at room temperature, cover and transfer to the fridge, still in the cooking liquid. Alternatively, you can use canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and drained again; you'll need about 2 cups.)

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Cut off the stem and root ends of the patty pan squashes, and cut each of them into 8 sections. Place the sections in a baking dish large enough to accomodate them in a single layer, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat. Roast for 30 minutes, until cooked through and browned in places. Let cool.

While the patty pan squash is roasting, combine the herbs, anchovies, cayenne pepper, lemon peel, verjuice, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil in the bowl of a mini-chopper, and pulse until more or less smooth. (Alternatively, you can chop the herbs and anchovies finely by hand, and combine the dressing in the salad bowl.)

Toss the cooled and drained chickpeas with the herb dressing in a salad bowl, and let rest in the refrigerator. When the patty pan squash is cooled, arrange the segments on each plate, and top with the dressed chickpeas. (You can also toss everything together in the salad bowl, but the sections of patty pan may get a bit squooshed then; it doesn't matter from a gustatory perspective, but it will be a bit less presentable.)