Easy Baked Falafel (Chickpea Patties)

You can check all the boxes on these Middle Eastern chickpea patties: low-fat, vegan, gluten-free, fiber-rich, and delicious. Usually falafel is deep-fried, but this version is simply baked on a cookie sheet. When I was researching the recipe, I learned that falafel patties or balls are a staple of a lot of Middle Eastern countries; in Israel and Turkey they mostly use garbanzo beans, but in Egypt they use broad beans, herbs, and spices.

Joe came home from band rehearsal to find that dinner was falafel and tzatziki sauce on thin pita. "This is so cool! Who gets to eat like this on a weeknight?" We do, and I think you'll want to, also!

Ingredients

1/4 cup brown sesame seeds
1 20 oz can chickpeas, drained
1 medium white onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water (or more, if the patties are too crumbly)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a cookie sheet. If desired, toast sesame seeds on a hot dry griddle until slightly browned and more fragrant; this will enhance their flavor.  Add all ingredients to a food processor, blender, or mixer, and blend until it is at the consistency that looks good to you. I made mine into a fine dough, but some people like coarser bits of garbanzos in their falafel balls.

Test the consistency of the dough by pressing together a handful (about 1/3 cup). It should press together into a ball that sticks together but doesn't stick to your hands. Form them into patties about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake about 10 minutes on each side, until browned and crusty. We served this on pita with our cucumber-yogurt tzatziki sauce, shredded carrots, sliced onion and squash, and lots of napkins.

Makes about 12 patties.