Peel the onions, cut them into slices roughly as thick as a pencil. Brush them with a little olive oil and cook them over a hot griddle or under a preheated overhead grill until soft and lightly charred, about 10-25 minutes with occasional turns. Stir the za’atar into the olive oil and brush the onions with the seasoned oil as they approach softness.

For the chickpea purée, drain the liquid from the chickpeas and put them into a small saucepan with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add 500ml of water, bay leaves, and thyme leaves, then bring to the boil. Lower the heat and let them simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the chickpeas, keeping back 2 tbsp of the cooking water, and discard the bay leaves. Purée the beans to a soft cream with the reserved cooking liquid and remaining olive oil, then squeeze in the lemon. Add salt if needed. Spoon into a dish, add the grilled onions, and squeeze over a little lemon juice before serving.

For the almond and orange parfait, bring the cream almost to the boil in a small pan, then remove from heat. Beat the yolks and sugar until thick, pale, and fluffy. Pour the warm cream into the mixture, then return to the pan over low heat, stirring until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour into a chilled bowl, cool, and refrigerate.

Slice the chocolate into thin pieces and crumble the amaretti into large crumbs. Toast the almonds in a dry pan until pale golden brown. Stir the maple syrup into the custard, then add the amaretti crumbs, chocolate, and almonds. Transfer to a lined cake tin, smooth the surface, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight. Cut into thick slices and serve.