Falafel
Falafel is the best known of bean fritters, and—because it’s usually made from chickpeas and/or fava beans—the best tasting. Canned chickpeas are too soft for falafel, but the recipe is pretty easy anyway; the dried beans are soaked, not cooked, and the frying is straightforward. The addition of an egg prevents the batter from falling apart, which is a common problem. It may not be strictly traditional, but it works. The little fritters are best in a huge pita, with a pile of raw vegetables, but they’re also nice served as a starter, with some greens and a little Tahini Sauce.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 servings as a starter or in a sandwiches
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the beans in a large bowl and cover with water by 3 or 4 inches. Soak for 24 hours, checking once or twice to see if you need to add more water to keep the beans submerged—they will triple in volume as they soak.
Step 2
Drain the beans well and transfer them to a food processor with all the remaining ingredients except the oil; pulse until finely minced but not pureed, scraping the sides of the bowl down as necessary; add water a tablespoon at a time if necessary to allow the machine to do its work. Taste and make sure the mixture is seasoned adequately; add more of any seasoning you like.
Step 3
Put at least 2 inches (more is better) of oil in a large, deep saucepan. (The narrower the saucepan, the less oil you need, but the more oil you use, the more patties you can cook at the same time.) Turn the heat to medium-high and heat the oil to about 350°F (a pinch of the batter will sizzle immediately—or you can test it with a deep-frying thermometer).
Step 4
Scoop out heaping tablespoons of the mixture and shape them into balls or small patties. Fry in batches, without crowding, until nicely browned, turning as necessary; total cooking time will be less than 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature, with Tahini Sauce (page 597).
