I got some new books this week, and fancied trying something new from one of them.

Recipe of choice? Isa Chandra Moskowitz’ Baked Falafel. Very simple, it involved a tin of chickpeas, onion, garlic, olive oil and chopped parsley pureed together, added to gram flour and some spices, formed into patties and baked.

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Baked Falafel Recipe – taken from Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (400g tin)

2 cloves garlic

1/2 small white onion, chopped roughly

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves

2 tsp olive oil

2 tsp hot sauce (I used 1tsp hot sauce and 1tsp tomato ketchup as my hot sauce is pretty darn hot!)

3-4 tbsp chickpea flour

1tsp ground cumin

1tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

several pinches of freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 440°F/ 200°C/ 190°C Fan

Pulse the chickpeas and garlic in a food processor. Add the onion, parsley, olive oil, and hot sauce and blend until relatively smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary to ensure you get everything.

Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl, mix in the rest of the ingredients, the mixture should be mushy, but firm enough to shape into balls. If it does not seem firm enough, add a further tbsp of chickpea flour.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Form the mixture into walnut-sized balls, then flatten into patties. Place on the baking sheet.

Bake for 16-18 minutes; they should be browned on the on the underside. Remove the falafel from the oven, spray them with a little more cooking spray, then flip the falafel and bake for 8-10 more minutes.

Serve! Good with salad, pitta……

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Baked Falafel with a bit of salad (for added healthiness)