panisses (chickpea fries!)

You all know I'm obsessed with chickpeas, right? I don't know if I've ever properly discussed my love of chickpea flour, but I find that as versatile as the whole chickpea itself. I use it most often to make socca, but I recently discovered another use for it that replaces one of my long-lost loves: french fries. Being allergic to nightshades means I can't eat potatoes anymore, and while sweet potatoes usually do the trick for me, they always get even sweeter upon roasting, so they're not the best French fries.

Panisses with an enormous salad and a dab of homemade apricot ketchup

CHICKPEA FRIES, on the other hand, have all the delicious texture and starchiness of the real ones, while actually being a bit healthier. Called panisses in France, chickpea fries are really easy to make.

You start by making a simple, quick, chickpea flour polenta, let it cool, then cut it up and sauté it in a pan of olive oil. I was going to give you a recipe here, but two French-cooking experts have already done it so well before me that I will just link you do them: David Lebowitz and Mark Bittman both provide great recipes and explanations.

MAKE THEM.