This recipe was inspired by Mark Bittman's recipe for rack of lamb with pimentón-rye breadcrumbs. The lamb didn't interest me at the time, but I started wondering what else those breadcrumbs could go on. I decided to do a Spanish interpretation of Nigel Slater's chickpea gratin, and this is the result: creamy chickpeas, tender spinach, and meltingly soft onions held together with a sherry gravy and topped with those amazing smoky rye breadcrumbs. This is one of those wonderful side dishes that also doubles as a vegan main course; if you end up with leftovers, top them with a fried egg for lunch the next day.

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