As a native Staten Island-er, I’ve eaten SO much bruschetta, so this recipe is very special to me! I’ve contributed my second recipe of the year to the Staten Island Advance – Masala Chickpea Bruschetta! It is LIVE today!! Check it out on SI Advance and below!

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Bruschetta is super popular. I probably encountered it at every Italian restaurant I’ve eaten at in Staten Island. Heck, I’m pretty sure there’s a bruschetta on the menu at TGI Friday’s!

It’s super simple — fresh, juicy tomatoes, garlic, olive oil,  basil and bread — I mean, how could you go wrong with that?

But the way I see it is the bread is a vehicle for all sorts of delicious toppings. And I’m sure you know by now that I’m not one to stick to traditions.

Because I love bread, and I love Italian food and I love Indian food, I wanted to somehow combine all three — thus was born the Masala Chickpea Bruschetta!

Chickpeas are used in a variety of ways in Indian cooking, but not so much in Italian cooking. So I consider this the first Indian-inspired Italian dish by way of chickpeas. Not to mention this is totally vegan — dairy-free, meat-free, but taste-FULL!

Masala Chickpea Bruschetta 

Chickpea Topping:

• 1 15.5oz can low-sodium chickpeas – drained and rinsed thoroughly
• 1 small white onion – minced
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger – minced
• 1 serrano chili – minced
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp garam masala – optional
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro – minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Italian or French baguette – sliced in 1/4 inch thick slices on diagonal

Yogurt Sauce:

• 1 cup non-dairy coconut yogurt
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Whisk together all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce in a small bowl until smooth and taste. Add more salt if necessary. It should be a balance of sweet and tart. Wrap bowl with saran wrap (or a lid) and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

2. Using a mortar and pestle (or a spice grinder) crush the fennel and coriander seeds together until coarsely ground. Place a medium non-stick pan over medium-high flame. Pour in oil and once hot, add in the crushed fennel-coriander seeds mixture. Saute for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in the onion, chili, ginger, and garlic. Saute for about 3-4 minutes until onions start sweating and becoming translucent. Add in the turmeric and garam masala (if using) and mix together well until all the onion mixture is coated. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Now add in the rinsed chickpeas and incorporate well into the mixture. Saute for about 5 minutes until chickpeas begin to soften. Add in salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Continue cooking. Once chickpeas are soft, but still have a bit of a bite, reduce heat to low and using a potato masher, mash about 1/4 of the mixture. The mixture should be textured but still have some whole pieces of chickpea. Taste for salt – might need more! At this point, turn off the heat and add in the chopped fresh cilantro. Set aside to cool.

3. Drizzle sliced bread with olive oil or cooking spray and toast on each side in a pan or in the oven until golden brown – not too dark. Remove.

4. Dollop on about 1/2-1 tbsp of yogurt mixture on each slice of toasted baguette. Top each with a generous heaping of Masala Chickpea Mixture. Place on a serving dish and top with more fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.