Matildas spicy chickpea stew of champions

       

take 8-10 good-sized roma or truss tomatoes, de-core and de-seed, chop roughly and slow-cook in a sizeable pot (usually one would immerse in boiling water first so as to remove skins, but in this we like the tang and the texture!) until broken down, then take the potato masher to it to create a paste. add salt, cumin, smoky paprika, a good amount of cayenne pepper, perhaps some cinnamon and brown sugar to taste.

in another pan, sweat one red onion and a clove of garlic, chopped, until soft and sweet. add to pot with chopped leeks and soaked, cooked chickpeas, about a cup. cook on a low heat for a little while, perhaps twenty minutes, adding water if it is needed to create desired texture.
add baby spinach and continue to simmer until it is wilted.

serve on a bed of couscous with warm pita!