- 3 cups well cooked chickpeas; (2-15
ounce cans will equal 3 cups) drained
well
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 medium eggs
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- oil for deep frying
You want the chickpeas to be very well
cooked so they are easy to mash. I always
use canned chickpeas, because they are the
cheapest for me. Dry chickpeas are $2 a
pound in my area, and canned ones are 2/1$.
The ways of the supermarket are strange to
me, but I am flexible enough to get the best
deal, one way or the other.
Drain the chickpeas and place them in a
large bowl. Use a potato masher to mash the
beans the same way you would mash potatoes.
They taste best if they aren't too smooth,
so be sure to leave them a little chunky.
Add the salt, cayenne pepper, parsley,
garlic powder and eggs. Mix everything
together until you have a sticky mass. Add
the whole wheat flour and mix again.
Meanwhile heat at least 2 inches of oil to
375°. Shape the chickpea mixture into small
balls about the size of walnuts. Drop them
into the oil and fry them until they are
brown and crisp. Drain them on paper towels
or a brown paper bag. Continue until all of
them are cooked. Makes about 20 falafel.
If you prefer to bake these instead of
frying them, then here is what you do.
Generously oil a cookie sheet. Using about
2-tablespoons per falafel, shape the mixture
into small patties. Arrange the patties on
the well oiled cookie sheet. Flip each patty
over so that it is lightly coated with oil
on each side. Bake at 450° for about 20
minutes. Check them after 15 minutes, but
they will probably need another 5 minutes to
be good and brown. Serve hot the same as you
would fried falafel.
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