Italian Fried Garbanzos with Crispy Leeks and Egg

The stretch from late spring through mid-fall was sort of a doozy for us Today I Cooked sisters.

After graduating from college, A got her first post-college job doing work on asset-based community development, said goodbye to many friends headed off on new adventures, and moved into a beautiful rental house. K passed her prospectus defense, taught in New Zealand, got married, and began a dissertation grant-writing bonanza. S did what she does best, taking on and winning complicated and intense legal battles while planning a New York City wedding that just *happened* to fall on the same weekend as Hurricane Sandy. And just like all of you who are reading, I'm sure, we were busy doing these things while trying not to be derailed by the shitty things that happen, like illness and fighting and now of course this storm, which caused so much pain for so many people who were not as incredibly fortunate as our family was.

So now it is November 1st, and S is on her honeymoon after getting on one of the last flights out of the city on Sunday. A is still stranded in New York, but safe and able to come home soon. And me? Well, I also got out of NYC on one of the last flights to clear the storm, but my sweet P is still stuck. So I've had a lot of quiet time, and today I realized that this will be the first month in which I have not flown in well over a year. 

All of which is a very, very long-winded way of saying that to celebrate the beginning of late fall and an upcoming period of relative calm and hopefully less shitty things, tonight I made a warming, filling, nourishing meal. 

Italian Fried Garbanzos with Crispy Leeks and Eggs

Note that I use canned garbanzos because I never go to the right places to buy them dried. I have no doubt dried would be better but canned works just fine. 

1 can garbanzos, rinsed and dried

1 leek, washed and thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Handful of sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped

Whole-grain mustard

Fresh basil if available, shredded

Salt

Pepper

Italian Spices

Olive Oil

1 egg

Heat olive oil in a medium sized saute pan. Add sliced leek and minced garlic, increase heat until leeks begin to get crispy. Add the chickpeas and toss. Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and generous amounts of salt, pepper, Italian spices, and fresh basil. Let fry for a few minutes, then pour into a dinner bowl. Stir in whole-grain mustard to suit your tastebuds...I was really generous with this and it was delicious.

Crack an egg into the same pan and fry to your liking. Add to chickpeas and enjoy! Would also be delicious with some good Gruyere or Parmesan melted over top and served over grains or greens.

Considerations for food allergies and ethics: dairy-free and gluten-free. Omit the egg for a vegan option.