My dad is in town. Hooray! Haven't seen him in like 6 months cause a) he lives in Michigan, and b) he lives in Michigan. He comes back to Vt a few times a year to hang with the children he fathered then abandoned to the mid west. (haha just kidding, not kidding) So yeah, a family fun week. I am hopping for a good family hike, some father daughter house talking and of course any help he wants to hand out on the house... "Sure you can wire that!" But my real mission for the week is to a) feed him lots of good food (he looks to thin) and b) get him to move either back or very close to VT, or someplace like New Mexico (I would visit all the time) or even Florida (real estate is dirty cheap there)
So mission one. Feed him lots of food, and food that is not bread and cheese. (he eats a lot of bread and cheese) So when the old many comes over this week fir dinner, I will bust out the good old falafel.
I used to make falafel all the time, it was my go to meal. Super fast and easy. The mr loves it, I love it, and yeah. But weirdly I haven't made it in like over a year. So last week when my sister came over, I made it for us. And it was like the good old time where I would come home form class, grabbing the caned chick pea and all the spicy things(feeling so cool that I cooked my own food). I would make the dinner, we would light some candles, set the table and maybe even bust open the cheap, 3 dollar bottle or red wine and we would eat all the falafel. Oh those were the days. When I made it last week, there was no wine, (we drank seltzer) not candles (she needed light to do homework) and no smug feeling of being cool (I wasn't going for cool) but there was a happy mr and sister ans some freaking tasty falafel.
So yeah, have to make it again for the old man, I know he will love it. And it's cool if I make it again cause falafel is one of those things that should be eaten all the time, as long as it is not fried, which this is not, so eat it all the time.
The stuff. We have chickpeas (in their liquid) a bunch of parsley, a carrot and an onion. Spice wise we have garlic, turmeric, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Also have olive oil and a bit of oat flour. Then for the sauce we are going to need some sumac and tahini. A lemon and some garlic and some of that chick pea liquid.
Start with chopping up the carrots and onion into smaller pieces and placing it all into the food processor along with the spices, the garlic and a little drizzle of olive oil. Pulse until mixture resembles a chunky crumb.
Now drain the chickpeas (reserve the liquid) and add them an the parsley in the processor. Also add in the oat flour. Continue to pulse.
Pretty, colored speckled goodness. Dump the mixture into a bowl and place in the fridge for at least an hour, but you could even go as far as making it a day ahead. And try not to eat it all right now. (I could eat it all right now)
And the sauce. Sumac is so lovely nice , bright and tangy which pairs so well with the earthy creamy tahini,. Add both those, along with the minced up garlic, and the lemon juice. And add in a bit of the chick pea liquid. May seem weird, but it gives the sauce a creamier consistency.
After the hangout in the fridge, take mixture and scoop out balls of like sized and place them on a lightly oiled baking sheet. I also brush the tops with a a tiny bit of oil as well. Pop them into the oven for about 35-40 minutes, flipping after about 25.
Baked to a nice dark brown on both sides while the inside stays a right tender green. These falafels are ready to go.
Along with some pitas, some greens and a simple onion and tomato slaw... Piled with falafel balls, smothered in sauce.
Dinner is served!
Cant wait to make it again!
So GOOD!
-C
Baked Falafel with Creamy Sumac Sauce
makes about 12 good sized balls (serves 3)
Falafel things
- 2cups cooked chickpeas (or one can)
- 1 bunch parsley(about1 cup.. can sub cilantro or any type of green really)
- 2 hefty teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 4-6 cloves garlic
- a yellow onion
- 1 medium carrot
- 2- 4 tablespoon oat flour (or chickpea or regular flour.. just some type of flour)
- salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil plus more for baking sheet
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons sumac
- 3-5 teaspoons chickpea water
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1-2 cloves garlic (optional)
- juice of1/2 a lemon
Serving suggestions. Fresh pitas or flat breads are great. Lots of greens and chopped veggies topped with falafel is my favorite. I like to chop up a tomato and some onion sprinkled with salt to servealong with it. Also, if you don'tt want to make sumac sauce, hummus, salsa, hot sauce and mustard are all great topping.
In a food processor, add in garlic, the onion and carrot after you chop into smaller pieces) the spices and a splash of olive il pulse until it kind of chunky crumb.. Now add in parsley, the flour,(start with lesser amount ans ass more if mixture seems to loose) and the drained chickpeas.(RESERVE LIQUID) Pulse until combined and the mixture has all come together and is on it's way to being smooth, but stop before it is. (don't make hummus) Dump mixture into a bowl and place in fridge for at least an hour, if not longer.
While that in the fridge, make the sauce. Grab a cup or jar and all the stuff for the sauce. Mince up the garlic then add everything together in the jar and whisk with a fork, adding more chickpea liquid if you want to thin it out more. Set aside
Once the falafel had had time to chill, preheat oven to 375.
. Take the falafel and make 12-14 like sized balls and place onto a lightly oiled baking sheet. Press each ball down a bit and then very lightly brush (or spray) a tiny bit more oil on the tops. Place into oven to bake. for about 40 minutes, pulling them outand flipping them after about 25 minutes. They are ready when booth sided are a nice crisp deep brown, without being burnt.
Remove from oven, place on pitas or greens or what have you and smother with sauce. No need for forks here.