Chickpea and Squash Tagine

Put a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Rinse the squash, halve it lengthwise, and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Rub the halves all over with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the squash on the baking sheet, cut side down, and put the pan in the oven, even if it’s not up to temperature yet. Roast until the squash is fork-tender and browned on the cut side, 15 to 20 minutes.

Rinse, dry, and chop the parsley into relatively big pieces; reserve. Trim, peel, and chop the onion; peel and chop the ginger; chop the garlic. Put 1 tablespoon oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sprinkle with salt; cook, stirring occasionally until they’re translucent, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and currants and cook, stirring almost constantly until quite fragrant, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander; add them to the pot along with the tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and adjust the heat so the mixture returns to a gentle bubble. Cover and cook, checking occasionally to make sure the mixture is bubbling gently, until the tomatoes break down a bit, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir the bulgur into the pot; it should be covered with about 1 inch of liquid. If not, add more water. Cover and cook, adding more water 1/4 cup at a time if necessary to keep the mixture wet but not sticking, until the bulgur is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. When the squash is ready, carefully slice each piece lengthwise again, skin and all. When the bulgur is just about done, add the roasted squash and parsley to the pot, cover, and cook until the parsley softens and the bulgur is tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve topped with the sliced almonds.