Speckled with the beautiful flavor and color of Aleppo pepper. I will summarize for you if you don’t feel like reading on: these chickpeas are always a good idea. They have become a weekly staple in my fridge because of their incredible versatility. I eat them on their own. I eat them in salads. I eat them under a fried egg. I eat them in the morning. I eat them late at night. Lest this turn into an ode to chickpeas à la Green Eggs and Ham, let’s cut to the chase. You should make these chickpeas … soon.

The key ingredient may require a little forethought: aleppo pepper. While this is not a spice most of us have lying around next to the salt and pepper, it absolutely should be. Hailing from Syria and Turkey, this beautifully hued pepper is, according to Healthyish, “…about half as hot as crushed red chile flakes…”. So, bring this dish to your next dinner party and it will easily accommodate both your friends who like the heat and those who don’t. Plus it will sound impressive when you announce that it’s your new favorite spice.

I encourage you to be heavy handed on the Aleppo pepper and on the lemon. Let the chickpeas cook longer than you think, letting the skin get crispy. Make this dish ultra savory and earthy by adding chopped baby bella mushrooms and letting them cook down in the mix. A drizzle of yogurt on top and these chickpeas are dressed to impress. Or make them simply like I did here for a perfect brunch — paired with garlicky kale and a fried egg.

Aleppo Chickpeas with Kale & Eggs

1 can of Chickpeas
1 lemon
5 garlic clove
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Aleppo Pepper
Kale, 1 large handful, chopped (curly or lacinato)
Sea Salt
OPTIONAL: Baby bella mushrooms, yogurt for drizzling, wildbrine Kimchi Sriracha (available at most Whole Foods)

First make the spicy chickpeas. You can make these in advance and use them for up to a week in salads, with eggs or as a side to any breakfast, lunch or dinner. Reheat them in a pan and serve crispy and warm.

In an 11’ frying pan, heat 2 tbsps of olive oil and 3 finely chopped small cloves of garlic (or 2 large) over medium heat. Thoroughly rinse your chickpeas in a strainer of all the liquid from the can. Pat dry with a dish towel or paper towels. Let the garlic cook until very fragrant. Then add clean, dry chickpeas, ½ tsp of sea salt, and 1 heaping tsp of aleppo pepper. Fold all ingredients together in the pan and pat chickpeas down into a single layer on the bottom of the pan and let cook. Mix frequently to make sure the chickpeas are not burning and to scrape crispy aleppo pepper and garlic from the bottom of the pan. If your garlic starts to burn, turn the heat down a little.

Cook about 6-8 minutes. If you want to make this dish ultra savory and earthy, add some chopped mushrooms at this stage, letting them cook down in the pan a few minutes and then adjusting your seasoning as needed. Once mushrooms are tender, remove from the heat. Add juice of half a large lemon and mix, scraping the bottom of the pan.

Serve chickpeas warm on their own, topped with another good squeeze of lemon juice, and maybe a drizzle of yogurt.

For a perfect breakfast, move your cooked chickpeas to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Use the same pan to cook up your garlicky kale and a fried egg.

Clean and cut kale: remove the tough stem by cutting the leaf away from the spine on each side with a sharp knife. Fold leaves and chop to desired size.

In your pan heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 large garlic cloves over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Add at least 1 large handful chopped raw kale to the pan and let it begin to soften, about 2 minutes, stirring often to cook evenly. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste (you can start with 1/4 tsp) and let cook until wilted, then remove from the pan and put on a plate. In the same pan, add a splash of olive oil if needed and cook the egg. Cook until bottom of the egg is firm enough to flip but the yolk is not cooked, 3-4 minutes. Then flip and cook about 1 minute, making sure not to cook the yolk. Gently remove the egg and place on top of greens. Spoon chickpeas onto the plate. Serve with condiments of your choice. I love pairing it with spicy, tangy wildbrine Kimchi Sriracha (available at most Whole Foods).