Aubergine & chickpea stew

Ingredients

• 200g dried chickpeas , soaked for 6-8 hours
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , plus extra to serve (optional)
• 2 onions , finely sliced
• 6 garlic cloves , crushed
• 1 tbsp baharat
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley , stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped, to serve
• 3 medium aubergines , sliced into 2cm rounds
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 lemon , juiced
• 50g pine nuts , toasted, to serve
• pitta breads or flatbreads, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Drain the chickpeas and bring to the boil in a pan of salted water. Cook for 10 mins, then drain.10 min timer
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onions for 10 mins, or until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic, baharat and cinnamon and cook for 1 min. Tip the onion mixture into a slow cooker and add the chickpeas, parsley stalks, aubergines, tomatoes and a can of water. Season. Cover and cook on high for 2 hrs, then turn the heat to low and cook for 6-8 hrs more until the mixture has reduced slightly and the chickpeas and aubergines are really tender.10 min timer
3. Stir in the lemon juice, then scatter over the pine nuts and parsley leaves. Drizzle over some extra olive oil and serve with pitta breads or flatbreads, if you like.