Vegetable Barley Couscous

Ingredients

• ["3/4 cup dried chickpeas (4 1/2 ounces)", "1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads", "2 medium tomatoes", "1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil", "2 medium onions, coarsely chopped", "1 teaspoon black pepper", "2 teaspoons ground ginger", "1 tablespoon salt", "1 tablespoon tomato paste", "6 cups water", "1 teaspoon ground ras-el-hanout", "3/4 pound carrots, peeled and halved crosswise, then halved lengthwise", "2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch-wide wedges", "2 medium zucchini, trimmed, halved crosswise, then halved lengthwise", "1/2 medium green cabbage, cut into 6 wedges", "3/4 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch pieces", "1/2 teaspoon", "plus additional for serving", "2 1/2 cups barley couscous", "1 1/4 teaspoons salt", "1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil", "2 1/2 to 3 cups water", "1/2 cup olive oil", "3/4 cup whole blanched almonds (4 ounces)", "Accompaniment: \"epi:recipeLink id=\""238426\"">honeyed red-onion confit""