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In the summer, John and I have taken off on our motorbike up past Whistler to the town of Pemberton. Nestled in the mountains is a little café called The Pony, where we stopped and ate the best falafel sandwiches ever. It’s winter now, and whenever I’m dreaming of summer sun and roaring through the winding mountain roads, I can make these sandwiches to remind me. Turn them into appetizers by making them a little smaller and serving with tzatziki on the side to dip in.
Ingredients:
2 cups chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch chili flakes
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pita breads
Tzatziki
Chopped cucumber, tomato, and red onion
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the beans, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, salt, and chili flakes until it’s well mixed together but still a bit chunky. Add flour and baking powder, and pulse a little more. The mixture should roll into balls and flatten without sticking to you too much.
Roll the mixture into meatball sized balls, then flatten somewhat with your hands. In a large, heavy frypan, heat about ½ inch of canola oil until it sizzles when you drop a piece of bread into it. The oil should be hot, but make sure it’s not smoking.
Drop the flattened patties into the oil, one at a time, being careful not to add too many to the pan and cool the oil. Fry them until golden on each side, then remove from the pan to a paper towel lined plate.
To serve, mound 2-3 patties on a pita with a dollop of tzatziki sauce, then top with the chopped cucumber, tomato, and red onion.
Makes about 20 patties, or enough for 6 pitas
Adapted from Spill the Beans