This Greek chickpea salad is fresh, hearty and briny all at once. You mash some of the chickpeas with lemon and olive oil, so the dressing clings to the rest. Serve the salad at room temperature with toasted bread as a starter.
Revithosalata is a Greek chickpea salad; the name refers to chickpeas, but the ingredients vary from cook to cook and from region to region. In this version, the legumes stay whole and firm, with red onion, parsley, oregano, lemon and capers. That makes it different from a smooth chickpea purée: you can taste the nutty flavor and get a bit of bite in every mouthful. The capers add salt and acidity, while the lemon keeps the salad bright.
Well-cooked chickpeas are important here. Use canned or jarred chickpeas that are tender but don't fall apart; rinse them and drain them well so the dressing doesn't become watery. Mash a small portion with olive oil and lemon juice. This simple step gives the dressing body and helps it cling to the whole chickpeas. After slicing the onion, let it sit with the lemon juice for a bit if you'd like to soften its sharpness.
Dried oregano adds a warm, herby note and goes well with the fresh parsley. Flat-leaf parsley is best; chop it just before mixing so the leaves stay fresh. Capers in brine are usually saltier than salt-packed capers; give them a quick rinse if they taste very salty. Don't have a red onion? A small shallot will also work, though its flavor is milder. White beans can be used instead of chickpeas, but they'll change the distinctive firm, nutty base.
The salad is a good fit for a table of starters, alongside olives, cheese and other small dishes, or as a light lunch with extra bread. Serve it at room temperature: the lemon, oregano and olive oil come through better than when the chickpeas are straight from the fridge. Fresh parsley is readily available in spring and summer, but the other ingredients work well all year round. Toast the bread just before serving for a crisp contrast to the soft legumes. Store leftovers covered in the fridge and eat within three days; let the salad come to temperature briefly before serving.
Drain the chickpeas well and pat them dry if needed. Set about 100 g aside. Finely dice the red onion, chop the capers and parsley, and juice the lemon.
Put the red onion in a large bowl and mix with the lemon juice. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add the olive oil, oregano, salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Add the reserved chickpeas and mash them with a fork to make a coarse purée. The mixture doesn't need to be smooth.
Fold the remaining chickpeas, capers and parsley into the dressing. Taste and add salt, pepper or a little more lemon juice as needed. Let the salad sit for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast the bread. Serve the revithosalata at room temperature with the toasted bread.
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