Sweet, slightly smoky peppers make a thick sauce around chickpeas, some left whole and some mashed. Lemon keeps it fresh; yoghurt and warm flatbread make it a complete meal.
Roasting makes red peppers soft and sweet, with a hint of smokiness here and there from the charred skin. That gives the sauce more depth than raw peppers would. In the Netherlands, field-grown peppers are widely available in summer and early autumn; at other times, you can simply use shop-bought ones. Choose firm peppers with smooth skin so they cook evenly and are easy to peel after roasting.
Roasting the peppers until the skin has dark blisters is more than a way to add colour: the heat softens the flesh enough to blend smoothly and concentrates its sweet flavour. Cover them and let them steam for a little while after roasting. The skin will come away more easily, and the peppers will be cool enough to handle. A few black spots are fine, but remove any burnt skin; it can make the sauce bitter. A stick blender works well for the sauce, as long as you use a tall measuring jug.
The chickpeas give the dish a satisfying bite and make it filling. Pressing some of them against the side of the pan with the back of a spoon releases starch that thickens the sauce without cream or flour. Leave the rest whole so you get different textures in every bite. Tinned chickpeas are convenient; rinse and drain them well. You can also use home-cooked chickpeas, as long as they’re tender but not mushy. If you don’t have fresh peppers, drained roasted peppers from a jar are a practical substitute. If you use them, taste carefully for salt, as they may already be seasoned.
Lemon juice cuts through the sweetness of the peppers, while cumin adds a warm, earthy note. Yoghurt brings a cooling, creamy contrast; use thick plain yoghurt or Greek yoghurt. For a plant-based version, unsweetened plant-based yoghurt works well. Parsley adds a fresh, green note, but add it only when serving so the leaves don’t wilt. Serve with flatbread to mop up the sauce; rice works too, but makes the meal softer in texture.
Store leftovers without the yoghurt in a sealed container in the fridge and eat them within three days. Reheat the chickpeas and sauce in a pan over medium heat until piping hot throughout; stir occasionally and add a splash of water if the sauce has become too thick. Add the yoghurt and flatbread only when serving.
Preheat the oven to 230 °C. Place the peppers on a baking tray and roast for 25–35 minutes, turning them halfway through, until the skin is blistered and dark all over.
Put the peppers in a bowl and cover with a plate or lid. Leave them to steam for 10 minutes. Peel off the skin, remove the seeds and cores, and roughly chop the flesh. Use oven gloves or let the peppers cool sufficiently first.
Put the pepper flesh in a tall measuring jug. Add the garlic, cumin, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Blend until smooth.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chickpeas and cook for 2 minutes, stirring as you go.
Pour the pepper sauce and water into the pan. Add the salt and some black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes. Press about a third of the chickpeas against the side of the pan with the back of a spoon to thicken the sauce; leave the rest whole.
Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice if needed. Finely chop the parsley. Briefly warm the flatbreads in a dry frying pan or according to the packet instructions.
Divide the chickpeas and sauce between four plates. Spoon some yoghurt onto each plate, scatter over the parsley and serve with the warm flatbread.
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