Feta Cheese in Chickpea Gravy

I’m a fan of chickpeas in tomato gravy. I’m also a fan of feta cheese in tomato sauce. So when I saw a recipe for feta cheese in chickpea gravy it made perfect sense. It’s one of those meals that’s suited for casual dining. Not only is it made from pantry ingredients, you can let everyone serve themselves; just plop the dish in the middle of the table, serve lots of bread and salad and enjoy!

I found the recipe on Mark Bittman’s website, but it comes from David Tamarkin, the editor at Epicurious and creator of the COOK 90 Challenge where every meal is prepared at home for a month. The challenge itself sounds intriguing but I’m thinking many of us would have a difficult time doing this for a WEEK let alone a MONTH…maybe we should do a mini challenge of our own? Let me know in the comments.

We’re not used to eating feta in a slab like this. Normally it’s crumbled into salads or chunked up and baked into a casserole. Left to its own devices, feta resists melting. It does soften, though, and if you’re willing to wait for the softening to occur, you will be left with something deliciously spreadable.

If you have an ovenproof skillet you can finish this dish in the oven. If not, or you’d rather not heat your kitchen, turn the heat down until there’s the barest simmer and put the lid on the pan. This will mimic the oven as far as the feta is concerned.

Feta Cheese in Chickpea Gravy

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 - 6 servings

Author: LydiaF

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 medium onion peeled and diced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 - 4 servings of fresh baby spinach I used the bagged stuff
• 3 large can or jar crushed tomatoes 800 gms, 28 ounces, or about 3 cups of your favorite sauce
• juice of 1/2 lemon about 1 tablespoon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 standard can or jar of chickpeas 450 gms, 15 ounces or 2 cups cooked, rinsed and drained
• 1 block feta cheese mine was 200 grams, about 7 ounces. You can use more if desired, and you can cut it into smaller blocks if necessary

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and prepare a large casserole dish if your skillet isn't oven proof or large enough. Otherwise, you'll need the lid for your skillet.
• Heat the olive oil and red pepper flakes over medium high heat. Saute the onions until they soften and begin to change color. Stir in the ground cumin and dried oregano, making sure to coat the onions.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the spinach a large handful at a time. Stir and let it wilt before adding more. Add a little more oil or some water to the pan if it's getting too dry.
• Pour in the crushed tomatoes and lemon juice, then stir to combine everything and distribute the onions.
• Next add the rinsed chickpeas. Add more water if needed. Let the whole thing simmer quietly for a few minutes, being mindful of the heat so you don't splatter tomato all over the stove (not that it's ever happened to me...)
• Taste the tomato gravy and adjust the seasoning to suit.
• If using an ovenproof skillet, nestle the block of feta into the gravy. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the feta is soft and more or less spreadable. Feta keeps its shape, so use a fork to test.
• If using a casserole dish, transfer the chickpeas and tomato gravy to the casserole and spread evenly. Nestle the block of feta into the gravy, then transfer to the oven and bake as directed above.
• If cooking on top of the stove, adjust the heat so the gravy is at a simmer, then put the feta into the skillet. Put the lid on and cook, covered, for 20 minutes or until the feta is soft. Keep an eye on the liquid and add more if needed.
• Serve with lots of bread and lemon wedges.

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We served our feta cheese in chickpea gravy with homemade focaccia.