adapted from a Mark Bittman recipe
3 ½ cups dried chickpeas (or 30 ounces canned chickpeas, rinsed under cold water)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
4 tablespoons olive oil
Heat the oven to 375°F. In a medium sauté pan heat 1-2 tablespoons of
olive oil on medium heat. Add the sliced
onion, chopped garlic, and a ½ to 1 teaspoon salt. Cover pan and let caramelize for a few
minutes. When onions start to brown
(about 5 minutes) stir all onions and garlic and remove from heat to cool
slightly.
Put the chickpeas in a
large bowl and cover with water by 3 or 4 inches—the beans will triple in
volume as they soak. Soak for 12 to 24 hours, checking once or twice to see if
you need to add more water to keep the beans submerged. OR use canned chickpeas…I
used two 15 ounce bags of Fig Co. Food
Organic Chickpeas.
Work in two batches if you
have a small food processor. Drain the
chickpeas and transfer them to a food processor with the caramelized onion and garlic,
cumin, chopped cilantro, ½ teaspoon of pepper, baking soda, and lemon juice.
Pulse until everything is minced but not pureed, stopping the machine and
scraping down the sides if necessary; add water tablespoon by tablespoon if
necessary to allow the machine to do its work, but keep the mixture as dry as
possible. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper, as
needed.
Line a large rimmed
baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the
chickpea mixture into 16-18 balls; about 2 inches in size, then reshape (flatten
very slightly) into thick patties. Put the falafel on the prepared pan and
brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Bake until golden all
over, 10 to 15 minutes on each side. Don’t
worry if they are delicate and fall apart a little when you flip them
over. Just use your hands and pat the
pieces back onto the patties. They don’t
need to look perfectly shaped or uniform.
They will taste great regardless of shape!
Can be stored in the refrigerator for several days or frozen for a few months. Falafel stored in refrigerator may be reheated in microwave or in the oven (wrapped in foil) for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Frozen falafel should be reheated in the oven (wrapped in foil) for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Can be stored in the refrigerator for several days or frozen for a few months. Falafel stored in refrigerator may be reheated in microwave or in the oven (wrapped in foil) for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Frozen falafel should be reheated in the oven (wrapped in foil) for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.
