Falafels with Home Made Pita, Creamy Tahini Sauce, and Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Falafels:
• 1 Cup Garbanzo beans -uncooked, soaked over night in 6 cups cold water with 1 tsp baking soda and 2 T salt, drained and rinsed thoroughly
• 1/2 C Chopped Cilantro (stems ok) or mixed cilantro, parsley and mint (up to two cups total)
• 6 scallions or 1/4 of small white onion, diced (about 2 ounces)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, about 2 teaspoons
• 1 small chili- finely diced
• 2 t ground Coriander
• 2 t ground Cumin
• 2 tsp kosher salt ( add more to taste)
• canola oil for frying
Instructions:
1. Day 1: soak beans
2. Day 2: In a food processor, pulse beans and salt until they are the consistency of very coarse sand.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, pulsing, scraping down sides, until it forms a bright green paste with a fine crumb. Don't overwork it- it should not be smooth, but rather quite granular.
4. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
5. Day 3: Form round, slightly smaller than golf ball sized balls and flatten just slightly.
6. In a non stick pan or cast iron skillet, heat a ¼ inch of canola oil on med high heat until it sizzles when a pea sized portion of falafel is dropped in. Turn heat to medium. Start with one tester falafel. Fry until all sides are a deep golden brown- this should take about 6-7 minutes. If it browns too quickly, turn the heat down a bit. If the falafels stick to the pan, try dredging the falafel in a little flour.
7. Place in a warm oven until ready to use for up to 20 minutes. Serve with warm pita bread with creamy tahini sauce, cucumber yogurt sauce, diced tomato, pickled turnips and fresh cilantro leaves.
Creamy Tahini Sauce: Day 3
• ½ Cup plain Greek yogurt or regular yogurt drained for 30 minutes
• 2 T tahini paste
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• cracked pepper
• Juice of half medium lemonBlend all in the food processor, until smooth. This may seem salty but don’t worry.
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce: Day 3
• ½ Cup plain thick greek yogurt (or drained yogurt)
• 1 small persian cucumber cut lengthwise, then thinly sliced ( or 1 C english cucumber) Skin ok.
• 2 T chopped fresh mint, dill, italian parsley or cilantro ( or a combination is nice)
• 1-2 T lemon juice
• 1-2 minced garlic cloves
• ½ tsp kosher salt -or salt to taste.
• pepper to taste, white pepper is a nice touch.
• pinch of cayenne or squirt of sirracha sauce.Place all ingredients in a medium sized bowl, stir and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Pita Bread Recipe:
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• 16 oz all purpose flour, bread flour- or a mix of whole wheat and white
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 12 oz lukewarm water
Pita Instructions:
1. Day 2: Combine flour, yeast and salt in large bowl. Make a small depression in the middle of flour and pour water in depression. Stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic. Place dough on floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. (Alternately, place in a stand mixer and kneed with dough hook attachment on med -low for 10 minutes) When the dough is no longer very sticky and is smooth and elastic, it has been successfully kneaded.
2. Coat large bowl or bag with olive oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and allow to sit in a warm place for 2- 3 hours, or over night until it has doubled in size.
3. Day 3: Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 12 small pieces. Place balls on floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 F and make sure rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to also preheat your baking sheet, or pizza stone. It is crucial that this is hot too.
4. Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick, no thinner. Let rest for a few minutes before baking. By the time you get done rolling them all out, the first ones will be ready to bake.
5. Bake each pita for 3-4 minutes until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 1- 2 minutes. If your pita is not puffing up, make sure you oven is truly at a very hot 500 F, and do NOT open the oven door during the first 3-4 minutes of baking. Make sure your pan is hot too. If pitas are rolled too thin, sometimes they will not puff up. Lastly, if the dough is not given the proper time to rise (doubling in size) they also may not puff up.
6. Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking. Take spatula and gently push down puff. Immediately place in large a storage bag.... this will keep the steam in and keep them moist.
Falafels:
• 1 Cup Garbanzo beans -uncooked, soaked over night in 6 cups cold water with 1 tsp baking soda and 2 T salt, drained and rinsed thoroughly
• 1/2 C Chopped Cilantro (stems ok) or mixed cilantro, parsley and mint (up to two cups total)
• 6 scallions or 1/4 of small white onion, diced (about 2 ounces)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, about 2 teaspoons
• 1 small chili- finely diced
• 2 t ground Coriander
• 2 t ground Cumin
• 2 tsp kosher salt ( add more to taste)
• canola oil for frying
Instructions:
1. Day 1: soak beans
2. Day 2: In a food processor, pulse beans and salt until they are the consistency of very coarse sand.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, pulsing, scraping down sides, until it forms a bright green paste with a fine crumb. Don't overwork it- it should not be smooth, but rather quite granular.
4. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
5. Day 3: Form round, slightly smaller than golf ball sized balls and flatten just slightly.
6. In a non stick pan or cast iron skillet, heat a ¼ inch of canola oil on med high heat until it sizzles when a pea sized portion of falafel is dropped in. Turn heat to medium. Start with one tester falafel. Fry until all sides are a deep golden brown- this should take about 6-7 minutes. If it browns too quickly, turn the heat down a bit. If the falafels stick to the pan, try dredging the falafel in a little flour.
7. Place in a warm oven until ready to use for up to 20 minutes. Serve with warm pita bread with creamy tahini sauce, cucumber yogurt sauce, diced tomato, pickled turnips and fresh cilantro leaves.
Creamy Tahini Sauce: Day 3
• ½ Cup plain Greek yogurt or regular yogurt drained for 30 minutes
• 2 T tahini paste
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• cracked pepper
• Juice of half medium lemonBlend all in the food processor, until smooth. This may seem salty but don’t worry.
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce: Day 3
• ½ Cup plain thick greek yogurt (or drained yogurt)
• 1 small persian cucumber cut lengthwise, then thinly sliced ( or 1 C english cucumber) Skin ok.
• 2 T chopped fresh mint, dill, italian parsley or cilantro ( or a combination is nice)
• 1-2 T lemon juice
• 1-2 minced garlic cloves
• ½ tsp kosher salt -or salt to taste.
• pepper to taste, white pepper is a nice touch.
• pinch of cayenne or squirt of sirracha sauce.Place all ingredients in a medium sized bowl, stir and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Pita Bread Recipe:
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• 16 oz all purpose flour, bread flour- or a mix of whole wheat and white
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 12 oz lukewarm water
Pita Instructions:
1. Day 2: Combine flour, yeast and salt in large bowl. Make a small depression in the middle of flour and pour water in depression. Stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic. Place dough on floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. (Alternately, place in a stand mixer and kneed with dough hook attachment on med -low for 10 minutes) When the dough is no longer very sticky and is smooth and elastic, it has been successfully kneaded.
2. Coat large bowl or bag with olive oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and allow to sit in a warm place for 2- 3 hours, or over night until it has doubled in size.
3. Day 3: Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 12 small pieces. Place balls on floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 F and make sure rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to also preheat your baking sheet, or pizza stone. It is crucial that this is hot too.
4. Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick, no thinner. Let rest for a few minutes before baking. By the time you get done rolling them all out, the first ones will be ready to bake.
5. Bake each pita for 3-4 minutes until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 1- 2 minutes. If your pita is not puffing up, make sure you oven is truly at a very hot 500 F, and do NOT open the oven door during the first 3-4 minutes of baking. Make sure your pan is hot too. If pitas are rolled too thin, sometimes they will not puff up. Lastly, if the dough is not given the proper time to rise (doubling in size) they also may not puff up.
6. Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking. Take spatula and gently push down puff. Immediately place in large a storage bag.... this will keep the steam in and keep them moist.