Gretchen's table: Skip the chicken and try these Buffalo chickpea wraps

PITTSBURGH -- If you love the fiery kick of Buffalo sauce, chances are you've reached for it countless times over the years to sauce up wings served at a tailgate, or to add some oomph to one of Pittsburgh's favorite party appetizers - Buffalo chicken dip.

The classic and irresistible pairing of fat and acid is nothing short of genius; the butter that makes the sauce taste so rich and creamy is perfectly tempered by the vinegar that adds a signature tang to the hot sauce. Add a bit of funk with some earthy crumbles of blue cheese and it's a dish made in a chilehead's heaven. Only problem is, it's not exactly healthful.

This recipe from Joe Woodhouse's latest cookbook, "Weeknight Vegetarian: Easy Vegetable Recipes for Lunch & Dinner" (Kyle Books, $30), is a better-for-you vegetarian spin on the dish. It's made with chickpeas instead of chopped chicken, cream cheese and shredded cheddar.

A rich source of protein, chickpeas (legumes) are also cholesterol-free and full of soluble fiber. They're also a heck of a lot cheaper than chicken: a 15-ounce can often costs less than $1 and serves two people.

Included in the "Assembly Jobs (mostly)" section of Woodhouse's book, this recipe requires minimal cooking to maximum effect. If you know your way around a frying pan and can chop a stalk of celery, you're golden.

I used 10-inch flour tortillas and Texas Pete hot sauce, but any brand of hot sauce will work. If you're not sure of your heat tolerance, add slowly and taste as you go. While a traditional Buffalo chicken dish doesn't include cilantro, I added a couple of tablespoons for an extra pop of color and flavor.

Trying to stay gluten-free? The filling could also be used to add a little plant-based protein to a tossed salad.

Buffalo Chickpea Wraps

PG tested

If using canned chickpeas, be sure to rinse and drain them to remove excess starch before adding to the hot sauce.

For sauce

⅓ cup tahini

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Salt, to taste

2½ ounces cold water

For wraps

2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

4 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Texas Peter or Frank's Red Hot, plus more for garnish

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 celery stick, finely chopped

1 small red onion or 2 green onions, finely sliced or chopped

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

4 10-inch flour tortillas

1 cup (4 ounces) blue cheese, crumbled

⅔ cup (3½ ounces) cherry tomatoes, quartered

Baby gem or romaine lettuce, shredded

Neutral oil, for cooking

Prepare sauce: Whisk tahini with lemon zest and juice and a good pinch of salt. Add enough of the measured water to loosen the mixture and form a sauce; fluid but not runny is the key.

Toss drained chickpeas in a mixing bowl with hot sauce and garlic, gently crushing a few chickpeas to help the mixture come together. Stir in celery, onion and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Gently warm flatbreads in a dry frying pan to make them soft and malleable. You also can warm them by laying them on a toaster; just be careful they don't catch fire.

Spread tahini sauce on flatbreads. Pile the chickpea mixture in the center and add cheese, tomatoes and lettuce.

With the wrap in front of you, fold up the edge closest to you. Turn and fold the next section into the middle and continue until you have a neat pentagon.

Brush a tiny bit of oil over a frying pan and toast the wraps on each side, starting with the seam side, until golden and crisp (it will help seal the wrap). Go slowly, as you want the cheese to melt and the filling to be warmed through.

Enjoy with extra hot sauce if you like.

Makes 4 wraps.

- adapted from "Weeknight Vegetarian" by Joe Woodhouse

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