Falafel

Falafel are chickpea or fava bean balls, typically Middle Eastern, that can be served as an appetizer or stuffed into a pita bread, accompanied by salad, vegetables, and sauces like tahini. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 250 grams of dried chickpeas (soaked in water for at least 12 hours)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 bunch of fresh coriander, chopped (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. After soaking the chickpeas for at least 12 hours, drain and dry them well. It’s important not to use canned chickpeas as their moisture content is too high for this preparation.
2. Finely chop chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, and coriander (if you decide to use it) in a food processor until you get a homogeneous mix but not too fine, to maintain some texture.
3. Add the cumin, ground coriander, baking soda, salt, and pepper, and mix well. If the mixture seems too dry, you can add a tablespoon of water. Let the mixture rest for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
4. Shape the mixture into small balls or discs, pressing them well with your hands.
5. Heat the oil in a deep pan and fry the falafel in plenty of oil until they are golden and crispy on the outside, about 5 minutes. Ensure that the oil is hot but not smoking.
6. Drain the falafel on paper towels to remove the excess oil.

Serve hot, traditionally accompanied by tahini sauce (made from sesame paste), fresh vegetables, or stuffed into a pita bread with salad and other sauces as you like.

For an Italian twist on the recipe, you might add some chopped fresh mint to the mixture or serve them with a spicy tomato sauce!

Curiosity

Falafel is often considered street food in the Middle East and has made its way onto menus around the world, sometimes interpreted with local variations and innovative dressings.