Msabaha, often described as the rustic cousin of hummus, is often eaten for breakfast in Lebanon. This is my take on the dish, topped with a soft-cooked egg, and I think it works equally well for brunch, lunch or dinner. Feel free to get creative with the garnishes. In addition to or instead of the ones I’ve suggested below, you could try a dollop of Greek yogurt, toasted pine nuts or diced peppers.
Chickpea Breakfast Bowl
Msabaha, often described as the rustic cousin of hummus, is often eaten for breakfast in Lebanon. This is my take on the dish, topped with a soft-cooked egg, and I think it works equally well for brunch, lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas
- Salt and pepper
- 1 dash za’atar, or cumin
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 eggs, soft cooked for 7–8 minutes, peeled and cut in half
- Chopped cucumber and tomato, feta cheese, chopped fresh herbs, harissa or red chili flakes, for garnish
- Sourdough or pita bread, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic. As soon as it sizzles slightly, add the whole can of chickpeas (with the liquid from the can or about 6 ounces of water). Season with salt, pepper and a dash of za’atar or cumin. Simmer over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by about half. Remove from heat and take about ¼ cup of the whole chickpeas out, reserving for garnish.
- Add the tahini and lemon juice and combine very briefly with an immersion blender or by hand, mashing the chickpeas, but leaving a slightly chunky texture.
- Pour the mixture into two bowls and top each with an egg. Garnish with the reserved chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, feta, parsley and harissa or chili flakes. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Serve with toasted sourdough slices or pita bread.
