Falafel
How do you make homemade baked falafel?
Soak dried chickpeas for 12 hours and dry them well. Blend them raw with parsley, onion, cumin, salt, and baking powder until you get a coarse mixture. Shape balls with oiled hands, place them on a tray, and bake at 200°C for 20 minutes until golden and crisp.
An exquisite Middle Eastern recipe, one of the most popular. Depending on the place, they come in different shapes: croquettes, balls, or even small patties. In the original recipe they are fried; in this version I bake them, and I guarantee they have nothing to envy the fried ones.
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Servings: For 4 people
Ingredients
- 500 g dried chickpeas
- 80 g fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 small onions (depending on how much you like the flavor)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
- Optional: 1-2 garlic cloves
- Yogurt sauce:
- 300 g plain unsweetened soy yogurt
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
- A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Start by taking the dried chickpeas, rinsing them, placing them in a large bowl, and pouring in plenty of water up to the rim of the bowl. Cover and let rest overnight or from very early in the morning; that is, no less than 12 hours.
After the resting time, the chickpeas should be well hydrated.
Rinse them and dry them carefully.
Cut the onion into large pieces. Set aside.
Cut off a small part of the parsley stems, the tougher lower part. Wash and dry it very well.
Next, add the chickpeas, parsley, salt, onion, cumin, baking powder, and garlic cloves if desired, all into a food processor or blender.
Blend until you obtain a kind of smooth dough.
Place the mixture in a bowl.
Moisten your hands with extra-virgin olive oil. Take small portions of the mixture and shape them as you prefer; I made balls and gently flattened them in the center. You will notice the mixture is a little moist, but not too much, which is why it is important to dry all the ingredients well. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper until all the mixture is used. Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over each falafel.
Bake at 200°C (395°F) for about 20 minutes, until golden. While they bake, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, place the yogurt, salt, pepper, a little extra-virgin olive oil, and your favorite aromatic herb.
Mix well and let rest. You can also make it 3-4 hours in advance so the flavors blend well.
Serve the falafel very hot with the yogurt sauce. Note: You can make the falafel mixture and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days to use when needed; in fact, the texture improves if it rests until the next day. Or you can shape each one and freeze them; when you are ready to cook them, take them out and bake them without needing to thaw.
Enjoy your meal!
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- 500 g dried chickpeas
- 80 g fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 small onions (depending on how much you like the flavor)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
- Optional: 1-2 garlic cloves
- Yogurt sauce:
- 300 g plain unsweetened soy yogurt
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
- A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil