I came across this fantastic sandwich a few years ago in an issue of a magazine available locally, so I thought why not give it a whirl. It’s sort of like a tuna salad. We both think its delicious and it has been added to our sandwich favourites! There was a time, when the only way I’d eat chickpeas was if they were turned into hummus…which I really, really like a lot. At some point I was given some fresh chickpeas to try and that changed my mind about chickpeas! I always cook up a batch from dried, use what I want and freeze the rest for another time. Still not a fan of the tinned though, except…you guessed it…as hummus or in this terrific sandwich!
For the Sandwiches:
1 x 19-oz (540 g) can chickpeas, drained & rinsed, drained well again
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) tahini
1 lemon, zest and juice
¼ cup (60 ml) mayonnaise
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin
½ tsp (2.5 ml) paprika
½ tsp (2.5 ml) smoked paprika
salt and pepper, to taste
2 stalks celery, diced
¼ red onion, diced
½ cup (125 ml) diced dill pickles
hot sauce, to taste
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) Dijon mustard
8 slices rye or whole grain bread, toasted & buttered
Alfalfa sprouts or lettuce if you prefer
1 avocado, quartered and sliced
sliced cucumber (optional)
Make the Chickpea Filling:
In a food processor, pulse half of the drained chickpeas along with garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, mayonnaise, cumin, paprika and smoked paprika until thick and smooth, like hummus, scraping down sides of food processor bowl as needed. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine celery, onion, pickles and remaining drained whole chickpeas that have been mashed lightly as I find when left whole they tend to fall out of the sandwich when being eaten. Mix in blended chickpea mixture. Season again with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour to thicken.
To assemble sandwiches, spread mustard onto 4 slices of butter toast. Layer sprouts, avocado, cucumber (if using) and a few spoonful’s of chickpea filling. Season again with salt and pepper to taste and top with remaining bread slices. Leftover chickpea mixture will keep in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week. We often eat the leftovers on crackers.
