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Revithada
Revithada: Sifnos chickpeas baked for hours in a clay pot with onions, olive oil and bay
On Sifnos, Saturday night means taking a clay pot of chickpeas, onions, olive oil and bay to the village baker, who leaves it in the cooling wood oven overnight; on Sunday morning, after church, families collect it and eat it for lunch. The chickpeas turn creamy and almost melting in a thick, sweet, onion-rich broth. A home oven at low heat does the same job in about five hours. Common mistake: adding salt at the start, which can keep the chickpeas firm; add it in the last hour. Chef's tip: rub the soaked chickpeas with a little bicarbonate of soda and rinse well; it helps them soften to that silky texture.
- Total time
- 315 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Drain the soaked 1 ⅛ lb dried chickpeas, rub them with 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse very well in several changes of water.
15 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 300°F (275°F fan). Put the chickpeas, 3 onions, ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 bay leaves and 1 tsp dried oregano in a clay pot or heavy lidded casserole.
Step 3: Pour over 5 ¾ cups water: it should cover the chickpeas by about 3 cm. Seal with the lid, or with foil and then the lid.
Step 4: Bake for 4 hours without opening.
240 minStep 5: Stir in 2 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper, top up with a little hot water if the chickpeas are no longer covered, and bake for 1 hour more, until they are creamy right through and the broth is thick.
60 minStep 6: Rest for 10 minutes and serve in bowls with 1 lemon to squeeze over and plenty of bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 15 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does revithada take?
- About 315 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 300 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of dried chickpeas?
- Cannellini or butter beans, same amount.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
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