Some evenings call for a meal that stays in one pan. Chickpeas and tomatoes do that nicely: the beans keep their shape while the sauce becomes thick enough to cling to a piece of bread.
For two bowls
Soften one chopped onion in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add two chopped garlic cloves and half a teaspoon of smoked paprika; stir briefly, keeping the garlic pale. Tip in a 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes and a drained 400 g tin of chickpeas. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, adding a splash of water if the sauce catches.
Fold in two handfuls of spinach and cook until wilted. Taste before adding salt, since canned ingredients vary. A squeeze of lemon at the table lifts the tomato without making the whole pan sharp.
The bread is part of the meal here. Toast it if it needs reviving, then drag it through the sauce rather than crumbling it into the pot.
If the pan needs adjusting
A thin sauce usually needs a few more uncovered minutes before the spinach goes in. A sauce that is already thick but still tastes harsh needs gentler cooking with a little added water. Those situations look similar at first, but turning up the heat is not the answer to both.
For a softer texture, crush a few chickpeas against the side of the pan and stir them through. Leave most whole so the meal still has some bite. If the beans are particularly firm, give them longer in the sauce before adding the leaves.
What to put beside it
A sharply dressed cucumber salad is enough if you want something fresh. Rice or a baked potato can replace the bread, but keep the sauce a little looser for either. There is no need to add all three. For a small household, another tin of beans can stretch the pan, though it will also need more seasoning and perhaps liquid. Taste a spoonful with both sauce and chickpeas before deciding it is finished.