Place the dry chickpeas in a large bowl, cover generously with cold water and leave to soak for 12 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse well under cold water. Set aside.
Wash the silverbeet thoroughly to remove any grit. Separate the leaves from the stems. Finely chop the stems and set aside, keeping the leaves whole for later.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or casserole over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5–6 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and silverbeet stems and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, Oma Rosa’s Gulasch and Ancho Chilli and bloom for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, stir well and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the carrots, thyme, bay leaves and chickpeas. Pour in 2.5L of water, partially cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Check the chickpeas, they should be soft with a slight bite. If not, cook for a further 10–15 minutes.
Add the potatoes and ½ cup of water and stir well. Cook for a further 15–20 minutes until the potatoes and chickpeas are tender.
Stir through the vinegar and silverbeet leaves, cover with the lid and rest for 10 minutes so that the residual heat wilts the leaves. Season to taste and serve with crusty bread.
