Baked Falafel

I’m embarrassed to say this, but I have never made falafel before in my entire life….. and come to think of it, I have only eaten it once. Strange, because I am from Detroit, where Middle Eastern food is in abundance. My first falafel wrap was eaten at a food stand last summer and I have literally been thinking about it ever since. My second falafel wrap was eaten in my very own kitchen. Of course, the first one was deep fried and dripping with a creamy sauce. The second was baked and served with a bounty of fresh veggies.

Actually, I don’t know why I write that this embarrasses me; what *really* embarrasses me is that some people have never even heard of falafel. If this is you – it’s time to widen your eating experiences!

I served these on warm flour tortillas, slathered with hummus on one side and sour cream on the other. Chopped cukes, sweet tomatoes, buttery lettuce and a squeeze of lemon over all. Really simple and really good.

Zillions of thanks and all recognition for this excellent recipe go to Isa Chandra Moskowitz, author of “Appetite for Reduction” – my current favorite cookbook.

Here’s what you need:

1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed well

2 cloves garlic, peeled

½ small white onion, chopped (about 3 T)

½ C fresh parsley leaves

2 t olive oil

2 t hot sauce

3-4 T chick pea flour (or regular flour)

1 t ground cumin

1 t ground coriander

½ t paprika

½ t baking powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Here’s what you do:

Pulse the chickpeas, parsley and garlic in food processor till crumbly. Add the onion, oil, and hot sauce. Blend until relatively smooth, scraping down sides when necessary.

Transfer mixture to a bowl and add 3 of the 4 tablespoons of chickpea flour, the cumin, coriander, paprika, baking powder salt and pepper. Mix with hands until well blended. The mixture should be “mushy but firm enough to shape into balls.” If it doesn’t seem firm enough, add the remaining 1 T flour.

ummHum

Shape into large walnut size balls, flatten and place on greased baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 16-18 minutes. The bottoms should be brown. Remove from oven, spray with oil and flip over. Bake another 8-10 minutes more.