Slow-Cooked Pesto Chickpeas Over Toast w/ Smoked Salmon & Egg
There’s no end to the ways in which I love toast.
It’s endlessly versatile, wonderfully malleable, and can transform into anything and everything your little heart desires. It’s simple but refined and sophisticated without trying — It is the perfect canvas on which to paint.
Toast is effortless, you see? And we’re having some right now.
If I had to describe this recipe in three words, it would be summer comfort food. Yes, summer comfort food is a thing, / I’m making it a thang, so just sit tight. You’re going to like this.
The essence of summer comfort food is a dish that’s warm and inviting yet still manages to taste fresh and crisp. It’s a meal that’s seasonally suited, beautifully presented, and makes you immediately want to curl up to it. It’s the kind of food that’s for rainy breakfasts in bed, cozy lunches amongst friends, and lazy dinners on cool, rustic nights.
Summer comfort food makes you feel good because it just is good, ya know? And that’s why you’ve gotta make these toasts.
A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a delicious looking recipe from Williams Sonoma that spurred me to consider chickpeas on toast. At first the concept seemed odd, but after a little more thought I realized it was almost like eating deconstructed hummus. Instead of blending your ingredients together and smearing it on bread, compose them separately atop toast! It’s a smart, almost obvious incarnation of the hummus and pita trend, and I needed to hop on it immediately.
This recipe is actually nothing like the WS version in terms of execution, but the basics are the same — Warm, savory, and flavorful chickpeas + egg layered over crispy bread. For my recipe I decided to opt for canned chickpeas instead of dry, and my definition of slow-cooking is 30 minutes, not 4 hours. This may seem like an abuse of the word slow, but to the most impatient souls on earth (New Yorkers) 30 minutes is forever, so I had to keep it real.
Because summer is all about freshness a seasonal pesto sauce seemed like the perfect pairing for my chickpeas. I utilized a classic pesto recipe from Kale & Caramel (link below) then slowly simmered the chickpeas in it over low heat. You’ll note that the recipe calls for you to stir the simmering chickpeas only once or twice, and there’s a reason for that. Leaving the chickpeas mostly untouched in the skillet allows them to gently crisp on the bottoms, which creates unbelievable texture and contrast. Plus minimal stirring is more low maintenance, so I consider this a double win-win.
The smoked salmon adds a cool and crisp element that wonderfully balances out the warm, savory chickpeas, it really tastes amazing. In general I’m not a salmon kinda gal, the texture is just a little too flaky and the taste just a little too fishy for my preferences. But the smoked variety? I’m obsessed. It’s got wonderful flavor and is pounded thin into a carpaccio-like consistency that you can really dig your teeth into, so it works excellently here. And toss a few salty capers on top? YES. Such a good decision.
As for the eggs? I’ll learn how to poach them another day. For now I’ve made them simply sunny-side up, which really works just as well. When it comes to eggs I have no secret method of cooking them. Sometimes they come out perfectly circular, sometimes they look like hell. I really have no answers, but in general just make sure your griddle is hot before cracking them onto it, and you’ll be good.
And last but not least? EAT.
Lap it up, love every bite, and don’t tell me you didn’t have seconds 😉
Slow-Cooked Pesto Chickpeas Over Toast w/ Smoked Salmon & Egg
Ingredients:
- 15 oz can Chickpeas, drained
- 1/2 cup Pesto Sauce (I used Kale & Caramel’s recipe – see footnote)
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Slices Rye Toast (or your choice of bread)
- 4 Large Eggs
- 4 oz Smoked Salmon
- pinch of Black Pepper
- PAM Cooking Spray to grease
- Capers & chopped basil for garnish
Directions:
- In large skillet combine chickpeas, pesto sauce, and EVOO over low heat. Once evenly mixed, cover ingredients and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice along the way.
- With 10 minutes to go on your chickpeas, toast your bread to desired crispness. Set aside.
- When your chickpeas are nearly cooked (about 4-5 minutes left) generously grease flat griddle with cooking spray, then warm over medium-high heat. Once hot, cook eggs until the whites are just set (2-3 minutes), then remove from griddle.
- Build your toast with a heavy spoonful of pesto chickpeas, smoked salmon, an egg, and a pinch of black pepper. Garnish with capers and basil as desired, then serve!
>> I slightly tweaked K&C’s pesto by adding a little more pignoli nuts and a touch of salt & pepper, but overall stayed true to the recipe.
comfort love <3
YES! I think I would eat a plank of wood if it had smoked salmon on it. It’s something I *love* but rarely eat. I think that needs to change with this toast! So many delicious flavors – this is awesome girl!
thanks so much Alyssa! x