Harissa Baked Falafel
Baked not fried! These little balls of bliss are the perfect alternative to the traditional deep fried version. They are made with soaked (not cooked or canned) chickpeas which gives them their authentic texture so don't cheat - the results will not be the same!
Ingredients
1/2 c NOOC Harissa Infused Olive Oil
NOOC Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
2 c dried chickpeas SOAKED OVERNIGHT
1 bunch of Italian parsley, chopped finely
1 bunch cilantro, chopped finely
8-10 cloves of freshly peeled garlic,
1 large red onion, roughly chopped
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
1 tbsp of salt (or to taste)
1 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
2 tbsp flour
1 teaspoon of cumin
3 teaspoons of Coriander
Directions
Preheat oven 425 F. Drain the chickpeas and rinse them with fresh water then pulse in a food processor until they look like fine bread crumbs. Put aside in a large bowl.
Place the Harissa Olive Oil, garlic, red onions, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper and flour in the food processor and run for a couple of minutes until they turn into a paste. Add parsley, cilantro and green onion and pulse until just blended.
Add it to the bowl with the ground chickpeas and knead with hands until doughy. If it feels dry add a bit of water and knead a bit more. At this point feel free to taste the falafel mix to make sure it has a balanced flavour.
Shape into 1" balls (or 2" discs) and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and generously drizzle with any NOOC extra Virgin Olive Oil. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown (for the discs, flip half way through).
Serve in pitas or tortillas or on a green salad with tatziki, chopped tomatoes & cucumbers.
