Homer's Chickpea Casserole

Yield: 4 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

· 6 cups chickpeas, cooked

· 5 slices back bacon or ½ package of regular bacon

· 2 tablespoons canola oil

· 1 small onion, thinly sliced

· 1 red bell pepper, chopped

· ¼ teaspoon salt

· 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

· 2 bay leaves

· 2 tablespoons garlic, minced

· 6 cups fresh spinach, chopped

· ½ cup dry white wine or cooking wine

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Cook bacon until crispy in a pot over medium-high heat. Remove and drain on paper towels. Chop into bite sized pieces.

3. Drain bacon fat from pot. Add canola oil to pot and heat. Add onion, bell pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves. Cook until onion is soft, about 3 minutes.

4. Add garlic, bacon and chickpeas. Cook, stirring constantly, until chickpeas begin to turn golden, about 3 minutes.

5. Remove from heat.

6. Layer a third of spinach in a casserole dish. Pour half of chickpea mixture on top of spinach, and top with another third of spinach. Pour other half of the chickpea mixture on top, and top with last third of spinach.

7. Pour white or cooking wine over the dish.

8. Cover dish. Bake until chickpeas are tender, and spinach is wilted, about 15 minutes.