Oven Baked Falafel

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Posted on February 27, 2013
In the quest for low fat but still delicious food, homemade falafel has been quite a key discovery... In particular, these oven-baked mini falafel are absolutely brilliant - and taste just as crunchy as if you'd deep fried them! They are easy to make at home; and wrapped in floppy wholegrain flatbread with some mint, red onion and fat free yoghurt, they are almost the perfect low cholesterol supper.

Ingredients

  • 1 Can Chickpeas (400g ish)
  • 1 Small Tin Cannellini Beans (200g ish)
  • 1 Large Onion
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 tsp Ground Coriander
  • 1 tsp Ground Cumin
  • Large Handful of fresh Parsley and / or Coriander
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Gram Flour
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Lemon or Lime to serve

Finely chop half a large Onion – fry this very gently in Olive Oil until it is soft.  Add the ground Coriander and Cumin – also 1 Clove Garlic, crushed.  Fry gently until the spices are smelling delicious and they have cooked through slightly.  Set aside to cool slightly

In a food processor – whizz up the Chickpeas, Cannillini Beans, remaining half Onion, 1 Clove Garlic – don’t whizz too finely, some texture is good!

Put this mixture into a bowl and add some Salt & Pepper, the Gram Flour and the chopped fresh Herbs… Mix well and shape into small rounds (maybe 2cm diameter?).  If the mixture is too wet – add a handful of Breadcrumbs, mix and test again!

Once in a ball, coat each Falafel in Breadcrumbs (you could use Garlicky Breadcrumbs if you wanted…)

Lay each Falafel out with some space around it on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper

If you can give them a bit of time in the fridge before cooking, I think it firms them up – but no worries if you are pushed for time, they’ll work fine!

Pre-heat the oven to 180˚c and quickly brush the Falafel with just a tiny amount of Olive Oil…

Cook the Falafel for 20 to 30 minutes or until crunchy and golden

Serve with a wedge of Lemon or Lime… Sweet Chilli Sauce is good too

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