Smash Falafel Pita

Name: Smash Falafel Pita
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained; 1 yellow onion, chopped; 4 garlic cloves; 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/4 cup olive oil; 4 pita bread; 1/2 cup tahini sauce

Chickpea falafel batter smashed flat directly in a hot skillet instead of rolled into balls, giving a thin, lacy-edged patty tucked into warm pita with tahini.

30 minMediumServes 4380 cal/serving

Middle EasternLunchStovetopVegan

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Ingredients

2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup olive oil
4 pita bread
1/2 cup tahini sauce

Instructions

1

Pulse 2 cups soaked overnight and drained dried chickpeas, 1 chopped yellow onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, and 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro in a food processor until finely chopped but not pureed.
2

Add 2 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp baking powder and pulse a few more times to combine.
3

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4

Scoop a portion of the falafel mixture onto the skillet and press it flat with a spatula into a thin patty, about 3 inches wide.
5

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and crisp at the edges.
6

Warm 4 pita bread, tuck a smashed falafel patty inside, and finish with a drizzle of 1/2 cup tahini sauce.

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Questions

What is Smash Falafel Pita?

Chickpea falafel batter smashed flat directly in a hot skillet instead of rolled into balls, giving a thin, lacy-edged patty tucked into warm pita with tahini. This reference files it under Middle Eastern lunch: made on the stovetop, rated medium and about 30 minutes start to finish.

How long does Smash Falafel Pita take?

As written, 30 minutes: 15 of prep and 15 of cooking. The longest single stretch is the hands-off wait in step 1, overnight, or about 8 hours. That wait sits outside the stated prep and cook times, so plan around it.

What should Smash Falafel Pita look like when it is ready?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 5: cook until deeply golden and crisp at the edges.

What can I use instead of tahini in Smash Falafel Pita?

The entry for Smash Falafel Pita calls for 1/2 cup tahini sauce. In its place: Unsweetened sunflower seed butter or cashew butter is the closest. Smooth natural peanut butter works where its flavor will not fight the dish.

Can I make Smash Falafel Pita gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in Smash Falafel Pita is 4 pita bread. Swap the bread or crumbs for a gluten-free loaf or gluten-free panko. Everything else proceeds as written.

Serve it with

Sumac Onions side
Fattoush salad
Maghlouba Soup soup
Jallab drink

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