Ingredients

• 1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 small garlic clove
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons torn fresh mint leaves
• Accompaniment: pita wedges
• 4 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 (6-inch) pitas with pockets

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Instructions

1. Slip skins from chickpeas with your fingers.
2. Mash the garlic to a paste with kosher salt and pepper using a mortar and pestle (or mince and mash with a large knife) then whisk paste together with lemon juice and oil until well blended. Toss with chickpeas, then mash with a fork until mixture just holds together. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour for flavors to develop. Stir in mint. Serve with pita wedges.
3. Cook's Note: Chickpeas can be seasoned and mashed 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature, then stir in mint just before serving.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
5. In a dry small heavy skillet, toast seeds over moderate heat, shaking skillet, until fragrant, about 1 minute, and cool. In an electric coffee/spice grinder, finely grind seeds and salt with paprika and in a bowl stir together with oil.
6. Split each pita into 2 rounds and brush rough sides with cumin oil. Cut each round into 8 wedges and arrange, rough sides up, on 2 large baking sheets. Bake wedges in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden brown and crisp, about 8 minutes total. Cool pita toasts on racks. Pita toasts keep 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
7. Yield: 96 pita toasts