Palestinian Musakhan-Inspired Sumac Chickpea Flatbreads

Ingredients

• 2 pita breads
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp ground sumac
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds
• 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat and add the sliced onions with a good pinch of salt.
2. Cook the onions slowly for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until they have collapsed to a soft, sweet, deep golden tangle. Do not rush this over high heat; musakhan lives or dies on properly melted onions.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the sumac. Use all of it: the dish should be visibly stained dark red and taste sharply sour.
4. Add the drained chickpeas and fold them through, crushing about a quarter of them against the pan so they absorb the sumac oil.
5. Season with salt and pepper and taste. It should be aggressively lemony from the sumac alone before you add any lemon juice.
6. Heat the oven to 425F (220C). Set the pita breads on a baking sheet and brush them with the remaining olive oil.
7. Pile the onion and chickpea mixture over the breads and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges of the bread are crisp and the topping is sizzling.
8. Scatter with the toasted nuts and fresh herbs and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Allergen note: Contains gluten and tree nuts.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.