Insalata di Ceci e Riso (Chickpea and Rice Salad)

A refreshing and nutritious salad prepared with chickpea, rice, olives, tomatoes, tuna and seasoned with olive oil and fresh basil, making this recipe all-the-more appetizing. This is an ideal dish for a light summer lunch. This salad is excellent when served at room temperature to preserve the flavor of the tomato and basil, but you can also refrigerate it to eat the next day.

It is very nutritious because it is full of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Chickpeas are rich in protein, zinc, potassium, B vitamins, folic acid and fiber, but low in fat, and most being polyunsaturated anyway. So they are good friends of your heart! The combination of brown rice and chickpeas provides a good amount of essential amino acids to built protein in your body.

CHICKPEA AND RICE SALAD

Preparation time: 20 minutes              Cooking time: 15 minutes               Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS

160 g (7 oz) dried chickpeas or 400 g (14 oz) canned chickpeas
1 bay leaf
200 g (7 oz) brown rice
300 g (11 oz) cherry tomatoes
240 g (9 oz) canned tuna or better grilled fresh tuna
2-3 tablespoons olive
1 clove of garlic, cut in half
10 basil leaves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil (Extra virgin)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

I suggest to start the day before which you want to eat the salad.
Day 1
1. Rinse the chickpeas under running water, put them in a glass bowl with bay leaf. Fill the bowl with water (about 5 cm above the level of the chickpeas). Cover with a lid and let stand overnight
Day 2
2. Drain and put the chickpeas into a pan with fresh water and cook until they are tender, (70 to 90 minutes, depending on how fresh they are). A few minutes before they are done, add salt. The cooking time should be as indicated on the package
3. Fifteen minutes before removing the chickpeas from the stove, cut the tomatoes. Place in a glass bowl, add the garlic and a pinch of salt. Leave for 10 minutes
4. Boil plenty of salty water and cook the rice for about 20-25 minutes (check the cooking time on the package). Drain and rinse under running water to cool
5. Drain the tomatoes in a strainer and remove the garlic. In a large bowl combine the rice, chickpeas, tuna, tomatoes and olives. Season with olive oil, pepper and basil. Serve at room temperature. Paola