Chickpea Picattta With Arugula and Tomatoes

There are a lot of bad things about COVID19, but one of the things that has been sooooooo just plain annoying as opposed to dangerous is trying to have a conversation while wearing a mask. I’m beginning to feel like I need a translator with me at all times.

Exhibit A:

While checking out at a grocery store recently, I asked the cashier to save a few items to put on top of the last bag so I would know where they were.

“I got a little treat for everyone who has been waiting in the car for me while I’ve been in here.” I explained. Everyone being Tim and Chloe. No idea why I felt I needed to add an explanation to my request. The woman could not have cared less that Tim and Chloe were in the car talking on the phone and barking at people (For the record, Chloe was doing the barking. Just in case that was unclear.)

“You have a dog?” the woman asked. So she did care!

“Yes,” I proudly answered, ready to whip out a picture just in case I was asked. And maybe even if I wasn’t.

“(sounded like) What kind of dog?” she wanted to know.

“Havanese,” I told her. So sweet of her to take an interest in Chloe.

“Where is your car?” she enquired. “Is it parked?”

Okay, passing interest in the world’s cutest dog was one thing, but she was getting a little stalkerish now.

“Um, they are outside,” I hedged. “Why?”

“Do you need (unintelligible words).”

“Sorry?”

“Your car!” she was clearly getting exasperated with my answers.

“Yes, my car,” I responded, backing slowly away and looking for security out of the corner of my eye.

“Do. You. Need. Your. Parking. Ticket. Stamped?” she demanded.

The light finally dawned. Turns out, I was the crazy one that security was going to usher out in a white jacket. She had been asking about the car all along. Could not have cared less about my life story. All she wanted to do was validate my parking.

I guess the words dog and car sound the same when you have a mask on. At least to me.

Ingredients:

1 can of chickpeas, drained but not rinsed–do NOT discard liquid
2 heads of roasted garlic (about 16 cloves)
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 Tablespoons parsley, packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups baby arugula
1 cup tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 lemon

Directions:

Mash chickpeas and garlic in large bowl with potato masher or pulse in a processor. You want some texture, so don’t puree.
Mince the parsley, and add to the chickpeas with the nutritional yeast and salt. Mix well (honestly, I just use my hands and mash it all up.)
Form 4 tightly packed balls and place on a lined plate or lined baking pan that will fit into the freezer. Flatten out the balls into patties between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick . Freeze for at least an hour (you can make these as a do-ahead for the week and leave them in the freezer(covered or wrapped–no need to cover if you are only freezing them for an hour) until you are ready to use them.

When you are ready to eat them:

Preheat the oven to 400.
Line up 3 plates, one with flour (any flour will do except coconut or almond), one with the liquid from the can of chickpeas (this is called aquafaba and is an egg substitute) and the third with bread crumbs (I like to use Ezekiel bread, toast it and them put it in the blender to form crumbs, but any breadcrumbs will work). You can also mix some parmesan cheese in with the breadcrumbs to give them more flavor.
Dip the frozen patties, one at at time, into the flour, giving it a very light coating on both sides, then into the aquafaba, and finally into the breadcrumbs, again giving it a light coating. Place the patties on a lined oven pan.
Bake the patties at 400 for 45 minutes. At this point, you can remove them from the oven and serve. They will have a softer texture, but hold together well. Or, you can flip them over, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until they are dark golden brown (not burnt) and crispy. This is how we like them, but it is your choice.
Put them on a plate, top each with 1/4 of the arugula, 1/4 of the tomatoes and 1/4 of red onion. Squeeze the lemon over each one, giving it a light burst of lemon juice. Option also to drizzle it with my lemon garlic marinade instead.