Les Niçois Olive Puffed Chickpea Crisps 100g

A fine, brittle crunch opens the bite, followed by the savoury character of black olive. The puffed texture keeps things light on the tongue while the chickpea base gives the crisp a little earthy depth. It is an appetising combination for anyone who enjoys an olive with their drink and wants that flavour in a different form.

Chickpea flour leads the base, with corn and rice flours alongside it. The result is a small, crisp bite that works as a snack in its own right, rather than simply something to carry a topping. Olive seasoning gives it a clear savoury direction. You get the pleasure of something crunchy and easy to nibble, with enough flavour to keep you interested between sips.

What makes these appealing is the meeting of a familiar apéritif flavour and a lighter, puffed texture. The olive note is particularly good against something cool and creamy: a little hummus on the edge of a crisp, then a slice of fresh tomato. That sequence of crunch, cream and juicy fruit is a very good way to begin dinner.

• Hummus and a squeeze of lemon: Spoon hummus onto a shallow plate, add a little olive oil and finish with lemon zest. Use the crisps for small scoops. The dip’s creamy chickpea richness gives the puffed chickpea bite a pleasing echo, while the lemon makes the olive flavour feel lively.
• Tomato, cucumber and feta: Make a rough salad of ripe tomatoes, cucumber and crumbled feta, dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Add a few broken crisps at the last moment for a crunchy finish. Serve the rest alongside, ready for anyone who wants another bite.
• A drink before dinner: Try them with a dry white wine or sparkling water with lemon, plus a little fresh cheese. The olive seasoning supplies the savoury interest; the cool drink and soft cheese give it a refreshing change of texture.

Olives know their way around a Niçois table. In pissaladière, they sit among soft onions and anchovies on a bread base. Their job is often to give a bite a little extra character, rather than fill the whole plate.

These olive-flavoured chickpea crisps put that familiar apéritif pleasure into a different texture. The connection to socca runs through the chickpea: that simple flour has a long-established place in the cooking of Nice. Here it becomes a puffed crisp, ready for the small pleasures before dinner. Take an olive-loving friend, something cool to drink and a plate of tomatoes. There is plenty to talk about before the main course arrives.

Store at ambient temperature in a dry place. Keep the pack closed between servings and follow the best-before date printed on the packaging.