Catalan Chickpea Stew

a warm and hearty vegetarian meal for lunch or dinner.  Benefits from being made a day or two in advance and refrigerated until it's time to reheat and serve.  Add some sliced sausage if you wish to add meat. 

Ingredients:

1 pound chickpeas, soaked overnight in 2 quarts water
1 bay leaf
salt, to taste
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, pressed
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Drain the chickpeas and combine with enough water to cover by 2 inches in a large dutch oven.  Add the bay leaf and bring to a gentle boil.  Reduce heat and skim off foam.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour.  Drain through a sieve over a bowl, reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Discard bay leaf. Set chickpeas aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat and add the chopped onion.  Stir and cook until onions begin to soften (3 minutes).  Add the bell pepper and continue to cook, stirring often for 5-10 minutes (until the bell pepper is tender).  Add garlic and stir for a minute or two.  Stir in the tomatoes (with the juice), thyme, salt and pepper.  Continue to cook on medium for about 10 minutes (or until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly).  Add the chickpeas, red pepper flakes, and reserved chickpea liquid.  Return to simmer, stir, reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for about 1 hour or until the beans are very tender.  Season to taste.