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    Home • Recipes • Vegan Recipes

    Provençal Garlic Chickpea Spread (Poichichade)

    Published: Jul 10, 2015 · Modified: Oct 2, 2022 by Jill Colonna9 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Served with the classic aperitif time in Provence is the classic Poichichade. Rather like hummus, it's an extra garlicky French chickpea spread from the south. Spread on baguette slices or dip with raw vegetables such as radishes, carrots or cauliflower florets with some chilled rosé wine.

    Chickpea Spread or French poichichade - Hummous from Provence

    The Apéritif in Provence

    We're going savoury for a change and thinking of the French's favourite time before dinner: the apéritif. As we're heading to Provence this weekend to see good friends, I'm "spreading" the holiday mood and opening the rosé wine with the Provençal equivalent of hummus, Poichichade - with plenty of garlic!

    This view is from my parents-in-law's house in the Luberon, the heart of Provence. It has always been special, whatever time of year. As in this picture, even if the pretty lavender from the fields has been harvested in August, watching the smoke rise from the distillery's chimney down below conjures up all sorts of ideas as to what uses we have with lavender oil.

    View from Saignon in Provence

    This winding road takes us from Saignon to Apt, a popular Provençal market town. On summer Saturdays it transforms from sleepy town into a giant beehive of swarming tourists amongst the locals in every street and hidden nook and cranny, as we dodge past the buskers and look for the best olives, tapenade, honey, vegetables, cheeses and garlic, to name a few. For a stop at the vanilla stand, check out my post on how to store vanilla beans.

    When we shop at the market, my Corsican mother-in-law and I have very different items in our shopping baskets. One of them is she doesn't use much garlic and heaven forbid if I add any raw garlic if she is to join us. That's just the way the cookie crumbles at her place. So I make this at home 'dans le nord'.

    How to Buy Good French Olive Oil at the Market

    I also love stocking up on good olive oil in Provence. Here is one of the popular olive market stalls.  Just be aware of scams!

    There are stands that exist that don't sell the genuine article so ensure that you look for the quality label, AOC (Appellation d'origine contrôlée) on decanted 3-5 litre plastic containers.

    Olive stand at the market in Apt Provence

    On the other hand, our good friends adore garlic and the local specialities. So when they invited us for lunch "up the road" from my parents-in-law in Saignon, we knew it would be a Provençal treat.

    Valérie is the most wonderful cook. Her recipes are not only eleven out of ten on the tasty scale but they are above all simple, using the freshest of good quality local ingredients. She makes a mean Poichichade, the French garlicky equivalent of hummus or chickpea spread.

    Poichichade, The French Chickpea Spread from Provence

    chickpeas at the market

    Poichichade (pron: pwah-sheesh-ad) is like Lebanese-style Hummus.  In France's Provence it's served as an apéritif accompanied by fresh toasted thin slices of baguette and fresh crudités (a mixture of raw vegetables).

    Not only is it rather addictive, but it contains a lot of garlic. It is made with both cooked garlic and just one fresh clove at the end to give it that extra touch of Provence!

    poichichade chickpea spread at the market

    Hummus - Don't Use Tinned Chickpeas if Possible

    Julie and Lucie were itching to make it so much as soon as our return last time, I didn't even have time to run out and get dried chick peas!  We used handy tinned/canned chick peas (pois chiches).

    Although it was good (and yellower), it wasn't a patch on Valérie's fresh one, which took longer to make.  I added some parsley to make up for the different texture, even if the garlic packed a punch.  What was wrong?  We should have taken the time to soak dried chick peas.  It's far creamier and smoother.

    Looking for another kind of healthy hummus without chickpeas? Then enjoy this broccoli hummus.

    Don't Throw Out Tinned Chickpea Brine

    However, if you do prefer to use tinned chickpeas, don't throw out the brine, known as Aquafaba.

    Use this chickpea brine to make these Vegan Raspberry Macarons.

    Chickpea spread or French poichichade

    La Poichichade - Provençal Chickpea Spread

    Thanks to my friend, Valérie Cortade, for the recipe. Please do use dried chickpeas and not the ones in tins: believe me, the taste is completely different.  The longest part is just soaking them in advance! Serve with toasts, on baguette slices or with raw veg (crudités) like radishes, cauliflower florets or carrots.

    Chickpea Spread or French poichichade - Hummous from Provence

    Poichichade - Provençal Chickpea Spread or Hummus

    Jill Colonna
    Provençal aperitif recipe for Poichichade, or garlic chickpea hummus, served with a good baguette, raw vegetables and chilled rosé wine.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Pre-soaking Time 12 hours hrs
    Total Time 12 hours hrs 55 minutes mins
    Course Amuse-bouche, Party Food
    Cuisine French
    Servings 8 people

    Ingredients
      

    • 250 g (9oz) dried chickpeas
    • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    • 4 cloves garlic (3+1)
    • 1 lemon, juice only
    • 1 teaspoon tahini paste (or 2 teaspoon sesame oil)
    • 3 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
    • salt & pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Leave the dried chickpeas to soak overnight in water.
    • Next day, rinse well. Rub them between your hands to release the skins, discard the skins and rinse again using a sieve.
    • Transfer the sieved chickpeas to a heavy based pan.  Add enough water just to cover the chickpeas and add a teaspoon of  bicarbonate of soda (this makes them easy to digest).  Add 3 large cloves of garlic and the bay leaf.  Cover and cook over a low-medium heat for 45 minutes. After the first 10 minutes, skim off any impurities that rise to the top and also discard of any more chickpea skins.
    • When cooked, drain the chickpeas and garlic, discard the bay leaf plus any more skins left, and leave to cool for 15 minutes.
    • Mix the chickpeas using a hand blender or mixer with the rest of the ingredients (adding the extra clove of garlic - or even more to your taste but beware - could be potent!), dribbling in the olive oil gradually until you have a good dipping consistency.  Chill for about 15 minutes.

    Notes

    Spoon into a bowl and drizzle with more olive oil.  Add some sesame seeds, smoked paprika or fresh parsley.  Serve with slices of good baguette, radishes, raw cauliflower florets, cucumber and/or carrot sticks. 
    Keyword chickpea hummus, hummous, poichichade

     

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    Meet Jill Colonna

    Jill is both Scottish and French and author of the book and blog, Mad About Macarons since 2010. Here she shares over 30 years of experience of living the healthy food life with her French family in Paris - via easy recipes and local food guides in France.

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    1. Lady Angel

      July 21, 2015 at 6:04 pm

      I half hate you, half love you for introducing this chickpea spread into my life. It's so addictive. Made it once, twice, three times and love the consistency and just enough garlic!

      Reply
    2. Christina @ Christina's Cucina

      July 17, 2015 at 5:35 am

      That garlic is simply stunning! I wouldn't be able to hold myself back from buying loads of it! Most of the garlic I buy here is dry and old, but when I can get to Gilroy (Garlic Capital of the World) at the right time of year, it is FANTASTIC! I'd love to be there right now!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        July 17, 2015 at 9:13 am

        It sounds like we'd be buying up the stall if we were there together then, Christina!

        Reply
    3. David

      July 12, 2015 at 11:44 am

      Your mother-in-law and I would get along perfectly, as I am allergic to garlic! However, if I made this poichichade with a little truffle oil, it might work! I love Apéritifs and I wish we would adopt the practice more in the U.S.

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        July 14, 2015 at 7:39 pm

        I adore apéritifs, David. Cheers to you and to the idea of truffle oil in place of garlic. Sounds interesting. I would try it with smoked paprika if you're allergic to garlic or add plenty of fresh herbs. Cheers!

        Reply
    4. Liz

      July 12, 2015 at 3:15 am

      Pinning your marvelous chickpea spread! Sounds even better than hummus 🙂

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        July 14, 2015 at 7:38 pm

        Thanks, Liz. Don't forget to serve it with a lovely glass of chilled rosé!

        Reply
    5. Jean-Pierre D

      July 11, 2015 at 5:48 am

      Love hummus but never actually made it. Sounds easy so might just try. Thanks for the tip on the dried chickpeas. Bon weekend Jill!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        July 11, 2015 at 8:15 am

        Merci Jean-Pierre. Enjoy your weekend too!

        Reply

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