Falafel recipe
A healthy, easy-to-make baked version of this popular Middle Eastern dish. Served in wholemeal pitta with delicious crunchy veggies, they're packed full of flavour.
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Serves 4
Ingredients
Falafel
- 400g tinned chickpeas in water, rinsed and drained
- 1 small onion, peeled
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- wholemeal breadcrumbs (from 1 slice of bread)
- 1 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
To serve
- 4 large wholemeal pitta breads
- a few lettuce leaves
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
- a quarter of a cucumber, sliced
- 4 tablespoons zero-fat Greek-style yoghurt
Method
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Put the onion and garlic in a food processor and chop finely.
Information:If you don't have a food processor, you can still make this recipe. Use a hand blender, or mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher.
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Add the chickpeas, breadcrumbs, cumin, coriander, parsley and olive oil, and mix for a bit longer.
Information:Make leftover bread into breadcrumbs and store in the freezer.
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Shape into 16 balls and place on a greased or lined baking tray. Chill for 30 minutes.
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Place tray into a preheated 200C oven (180C fan, gas mark 6) and bake for about 25 minutes, turning the falafel to prevent sticking.
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To assemble, fill each pitta with lettuce, sliced tomatoes and cucumber, falafel and some yoghurt.
Information:Warming the pittas in a toaster or under the grill makes them easier to split and fill. The falafel can also be served warm with couscous and vegetables.
