My husband and I love falafel. The best we've had is sold at a cart in Astoria where they serve up some amazing Middle Eastern food. The owner of the cart has a license plate on his truck that says "falafel1". That pretty much sums it up.Cooks Illustrated does a great make at home version. This was actually my first time deep frying something and it wasn't as scary as I had made it out to be. This recipe is now a staple in our house (with some gluten free pitas of course).
Falafel
8 oz. dried chick peas, rinsed, picked over, and soaked overnight in water to cover by an inch
6 scallions, chopped coarse
½ c packed fresh parsley leaves
½ c packed fresh cilantro leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Vegetable oil for frying
Drain chick peas, discarding the soaking liquid. Process all the ingredients except for the oil in a food processor until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Form the mixture into small disks and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Falafel can be refrigerated at this point for up to 2 hours.)
Heat the oil in a 5-quart dutch oven over medium high heat to 375 degrees. Fry the falafel, a few pieces at a time, stirring occasionally, until deep brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet using a slotted spoon and keep warm in the oven. Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with the remaining falafel.
Serve on pita bread with hummus, lettuce and tomatoes. Pickled beets are a bonus.
