1 pound 2 ounces dried chickpeas
1 T. all-purpose flour
2 onions, well chopped
2 bay leaves
6 T. olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
best quality olive oil for serving
lemon quarters for serving, optional

Put the chickpeas and flour in a bowl, cover with plenty of water and soak overnight. Preheat oven to 400 F. Drain the chickpeas, rinse and put into a large round ceramic pot with a good fitting lid. (I used my Dutch oven.) Cover with 4 cups of water (I used 5 1/2 cups) and add the onions, bay leaves and olive oil. Stir a few times to distribute the onion, and then put the lid on. Bake in the oven for 2 hours. Lower the temperature to 350 F and remove the pot from the oven. The contents should be nice and bubbly. Season well with salt and pepper and mix. Return the pot, still covered, to the oven for a further 2 hours, when the chickpeas will be lovely and soft with a little of the thick liquid left. Turn off the oven and leave the covered pot inside to cool for about 1 hour. Taste for salt and pepper, then serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, if you like.