Crispy Rosemary Chickpea Panisse Fries with Tomato Basil Yogurt

Crispy Rosemary Chickpea Panisse Fries with Tomato Basil Yogurt 🍅🌿 These golden chickpea-flour fries are crisp at the edges, creamy in the middle and made for dipping into a cool tomato basil yogurt. They feel like snack food, but the ingredients are simple: chickpea flour, rosemary, lemon, yogurt and ripe tomato. Yield: 4 servings Time: about 25 minutes active, plus 45-60 minutes chilling Ingredients For the panisse fries: - 170 g chickpea flour - 650 ml water or light vegetable stock - 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing or frying - 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated - 1 tsp fine salt - 1/2 tsp lemon zest - Black pepper - 2 tbsp fine polenta or semolina, optional, for extra crisp edges For the tomato basil yogurt: - 220 g thick Greek-style yogurt - 1 ripe tomato, grated on the large holes of a box grater - 1 tbsp tomato paste - 1 tbsp lemon juice - 1 tbsp olive oil - 2 tbsp chopped basil - 1 small pinch salt - Black pepper To serve: - Lemon wedges - Extra basil or rosemary - Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives or a simple green salad Method 1. Line a small baking tray or loaf tin with baking paper. Lightly oil the paper so the set chickpea slab lifts out cleanly. 2. Put the water or stock in a saucepan with olive oil, rosemary, garlic, salt, lemon zest and a good grind of black pepper. Bring it just to a simmer. 3. Whisk in the chickpea flour in a steady stream. Keep whisking for 2-3 minutes, then switch to a spatula and cook over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes. The mixture should turn thick, glossy and pull away from the sides of the pan like soft polenta. 4. Scrape the hot mixture into the lined tray. Smooth it into an even slab about 1.5 cm thick. Cool for 10 minutes, then chill for 45-60 minutes until firm. For the neatest fries, chill longer if you have time. 5. While it chills, make the dip. Stir yogurt with grated tomato, tomato paste, lemon juice, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper. Taste it: it should be creamy, tangy and lightly tomato-sweet. Keep cold until serving. 6. Heat the oven to 220 C / 425 F, or warm a thin layer of oil in a frying pan. Lift out the chickpea slab and cut it into thick fries. Dust very lightly with polenta or semolina if you want extra crunch. 7. For baked fries, brush with oil and bake for 22-28 minutes, turning once, until crisp and deep gold. For pan-fried fries, cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side, turning gently so the creamy centres stay intact. 8. Serve the hot panisse fries straight away with tomato basil yogurt, lemon wedges and extra herbs. They are best while the edges are crisp and the centres are soft. Serving and storage tips ✨ The chickpea slab can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Cut and crisp just before serving. Leftover cooked fries keep for 2 days, but reheat them in a hot oven, air fryer or dry pan so they regain their crunch. Keep the yogurt dip separate and chilled. Save this one for a vegetarian snack plate, lunch board or easy appetiser. 🍋