The Crunchiest Chickpeas Ever
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I'll start with the bad news: you're going to have to begin this process 12-24 hours ahead of time. Don't worry, it's all going to be worth it when you experience that first crunch.
Begin with one cup of dry chickpeas, put them in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let them soak for 24 hours or overnight. You might have to add some more water if you take a peek and see most of the water is gone.
The next day rinse the chickpeas, pouring away any excess water, and spill them on to a large baking tray (line with parchment paper if you want). Sprinkle with a little salt. Put them in the oven at 375° for about 30 minutes, shaking the pan a couple times mid-way through.
After 30 minutes, remove the chickpeas from the oven, but don't turn the oven off. Pour the chickpeas back into the bowl (make sure it's dry) and pour over a few tablespoons of olive oil and whatever seasoning you fancy (I used my Spice & Green Spicy Masala!)
Stir so all the chickpeas are coated with the oil and spices. You can add a bit more salt now if you like. At this point the chickpeas should be very hot and golden on the outside, but if you pop one in your mouth, it'll still be a little chewy.
This next step will cook off any remaining chewiness.
Pour the spiced and oiled chickpeas back on to the baking tray and place back in the oven.
After 15 minutes take the tray out of the oven and do a sound test with the chickpeas by dropping one on the floor. If it makes a distinct sound (like a bead or a pebble) they're probably not going to be chewy anymore. Test again, this time with taste. If they're crunchy like a wasabi pea, you've achieved maximum crunchiness.
If they're still slightly chewy, put them back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes, until you've reached that optimal level of crunch. Once the chickpeas have cooled store in an airtight container and enjoy all week!
