Ingredients
Falafel and pita
- 1 cup dried chickpeas 200 g before soaking; do not substitute canned or cooked chickpeas
- 1/2 small yellow onion 60 g, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup roughly chopped parsley 25 g
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro 15 g
- 2 garlic cloves 8 g
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 g
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander 2 g
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt 3 g
- 4 large soft Arabic-style pitas about 8 inches (20 cm) wide and 70 g each; 280 g total
- 3 tablespoons olive oil 45 mL, about 40 g, divided among four skillet batches
Sauce and vegetables
- 2.5 tablespoons tahini 40 g, stirred thoroughly before measuring
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice 30 mL
- 3 tablespoons water 45 mL, plus a little more to thin as needed
- 1 cup diced cucumber 150 g
- 1 cup diced tomato 150 g
Equipment
- 1 Large soaking bowl
- 1 Colander
- 1 Food processor
- 1 12-inch nonstick skillet
- 1 Wide spatula
- 1 Small sauce bowl
Instructions
- Cover dried chickpeas generously with cold water in a large bowl, with at least 3 inches (8 cm) of water above them. Refrigerate for 12–18 hours. Drain, rinse and pat dry. Use all the drained chickpeas; the hydrated weight varies. Do not cook them before processing.
- Pulse soaked chickpeas, onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, coriander, pepper and salt in the food processor, scraping down the sides. Stop at a fine moist crumb that holds together when pressed, rather than a smooth puree. Keep refrigerated until cooking; do not taste the uncooked mixture.
- Stir tahini with lemon juice, then gradually whisk in water until pourable. Prepare cucumber and tomato. Divide all the chickpea mixture evenly among four pitas and press firmly into a thin even layer, about 1/8–3/16 inch (3–4 mm), across each surface.
- Heat a quarter of the measured olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Place one pita chickpea-side down and press gently for full contact. Cook for 5–7 minutes until the filling is well browned, hot and tender throughout. Inspect an edge: if the inside remains hard or gritty, reduce the heat and continue cooking before serving.
- Flip carefully with the wide spatula and toast the bread side for 30–60 seconds, keeping it flexible. Repeat with remaining pitas and oil, adjusting heat between batches. Top each cooked pita with one-quarter of the cucumber, tomato and sauce. Fold loosely or cut into wedges and serve promptly.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 19gFat: 20gFiber: 12g
Video
Notes
Total time includes a minimum 12-hour refrigerated soak. The recipe needs dried chickpeas; canned chickpeas require a different formulation. Keep the mixture cold and do not taste it uncooked. Spread evenly and cook until hot and tender throughout. Contains wheat from ordinary pita and sesame from tahini; check labels.
Nutrition is estimated per one of four pitas with one-quarter of all measured sauce and vegetables. It uses dry chickpea weight and includes all 40 g frying oil; retained oil, bread brands and ingredient yields vary. Refrigerate cooked leftovers without fresh toppings within 2 hours, use within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F (74°C).
Estimated US grocery budget: chickpeas US$0.90, four pitas US$2.50, tahini US$0.70, oil US$0.35, vegetables and lemon US$1.55, and measured herbs, onion, garlic and spices US$1.00. Portions used are prorated; prices vary. Excludes energy.
Technique video credit: Lisa Bryan of Downshiftology demonstrates a soaked-chickpea falafel mixture and frying or baking shaped falafel. Her mixture includes green pepper, different seasoning and a binder. This recipe instead presses its own unshaped mixture onto pita and cooks a thin layer in measured oil, then adds the specified vegetables and tahini. Follow this card for the smash-pita method and amounts.