Olive Oil-Braised Chickpeas and Broccoli Rabe

In her book, Ali recommends braising 3 cups/2 cans of beans with a tin of anchovies and 8 sliced garlic cloves and stirring in a can of tuna afterward, which I just tried. I don't know why I snatch up good cans of tuna on clearance because jarred tuna is better, and nothing seems to make canned tuna appealing, even this recipe, which I otherwise love.

I made this with gai lan and home-cooked chickpeas and served it over farro--grains, greens, and beans on a cold winter day--how can you go wrong? Total comfort food--I love this recipe.

I have really become a huge fan of these braised beans, and they are becoming my new cool-weather base for roasted vegetables instead of farro or pasta. Another idea she has in her book is for stirring in some tuna. But the best, most comforting combination of all, in my opinion, is beans and greens, particularly bitter broccoli rabe, which mellows beautifully with braising.

In her book, this recipe is presented as a pot of braised beans with the option of adding a vegetable and made with a can of mashed anchovies and 8 cloves of sliced garlic. I braised a pot of white beans and used it as a bed for Melissa Clark's slow-roasted ratatouille, and it was excellent--a wonderful, flavorful way to introduce beans into your diet, far more satisfying and healthy than pasta, a flavorful change-up from whole grains such as farro, and especially satisfying in cooler weather.

Substituted cannellini beans as cupboard bare on chick peas, delicious. Also used less olive oil too and served over pasta as meal.

I’ve been making this once a week since it was published. I use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of oil rather than a full cup, and grind the fennel seeds in my spice grinder. Always serve with polenta. I bring it to work for lunch and eat it with the polenta, at room temperature. Highly recommended.

In her book, Ali Slagle recommends slicing 8 garlic cloves and tossing in a can of anchovies and mashing them, but in the process, I forgot to add the rosemary and fennel seed, which I regretted. I normally love anchovies but think I will skip next time and definitely remember the rosemary and fennel seed, which I missed. I love this dish.

I braised kabocha squash wedges with home-cooked chickpeas, and the squash turned out beautifully. I love this dish and look forward to it every time the weather turns cool.

A drizzle of fresh lemon juice gives this dish a brightness and acidity it needs from all the oil. Cutting back to 1/2-3/4 C. oil would be fine. I topped the leftovers with a poached egg and dipped crusty bread for breakfast the following morning. Fantastic!

I am obsessed with this exquisite dish. Don't skimp on the olive oil. It gets beautifully flavored for dipping. Always start with dried chickpeas. Kind of shocking that so many NYT recipes call for canned--an abomination.

The cumin seeds, shallot and little red potatoes are great! I definitely needed more than a 1/2 cup with the potatoes and my quantity of chickpeas. This will be in regular rotation.

This dish is the second best thing to happen for me this week. Number 1 was I-95 reopening in Philly.

I love this dish on a cool, rainy day; it's comfort in a bowl; "weekends are for braising" indeed, as a recipe collection is titled, and braising isn't just for meats.

This recipe is indeed my favorite and most often made of all of Ali Slagle's recipes, and I return to it again and again, especially with broccoli rabe but also in other variations, and I am eager to try otter variations.

I could live in braised broccoli rabe and chickpeas over farro--I love this dish--so easy to make--I make it every time broccoli rabe goes on sale--broccoli rabe and chickpeas--what's not to love?