This stew, like all those in Catalonia, starts with a sofrito, a thick sauce made with sautéed onions and tomatoes. Once you get all the ingredients in the pot, there's not much to do besides ...

Add the raisins and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Add the spinach, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer the chickpea stew to 4 deep bowls and serve with crusty bread.

The day before you cook, soak the chickpeas in cold water with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. The next day, drain and rinse the chickpeas. In a big saucepan, combine the chickpeas with 2 1/2 ...