Baked chickpea and spinach balls in tomato sauce

Ingredients

For 1 serving

• Cooked chickpeas180 g
• Spinach100 g
• Chickpea flour20 g
• Garlic1 clove
• Tomato passata150 g
• Nutmeg1 pinch
• Basil4 g
• Extra virgin olive oil1 tablespoon
• Saltto taste
• Black pepperto taste

In season: October – April

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200 °C, fan, and line a tray with baking paper. Wash the spinach and wilt it in a pan over medium heat, without adding water, for 2–3 minutes, until collapsed; let it cool slightly, squeeze it well and chop it.
2. In a food processor coarsely blend the drained chickpeas with the spinach, chickpea flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper, until the mixture holds together when squeezed.
3. With wet hands shape 8 balls, place them on the tray and brush them with half the oil.
4. Bake at 200 °C for 20 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and firm.
5. Meanwhile heat the remaining oil in a small pan with the crushed garlic over medium-low heat for a minute, add the tomato passata, salt and cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens; remove the garlic and add the basil off the heat.
6. Serve the balls sitting in the sauce.