Vegetarian Homemade Falafels in Homemade Flatbread - Quick, Healthy & So Tasty!

These are very easy to make, nutritious, and will keep your belly satisfied all day. You can have them freshly made & hot, or allow to cool and take them to work (or wherever).  Most falafel recipes tell you to fry them in oil, but I find they just disintegrate doing it that way, so I prefer to bake mine in the oven.  Whilst the falafels are baking, you can make the flatbread and have it ready by the time the falafels are done...  So all-in-all this takes about half an hour to prepare & cook.  A very easy and incredibly tasty lunch - or for dinner serve with homemade chips, baked sweet potato, salad... anything you like!

To make the falafels -

What you will need: (Makes about 20)

 
1 380g can/carton chickpeas, or 230g cooked (from dried)    

1 onion  

2-4 cloves garlic  

2 tblsp fresh coriander  

1 tsp parsley  

1 tsp cumin  

1/2 tsp turmeric  

1/2 tsp salt  

1/2 tsp black pepper  

1/2 tsp baking soda  

1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs  

Method: 

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then in a large bowl mash them up with a potato masher 

Peel and roughly chop the onion, garlic and coriander, then blitz in a food processor (or a manual herb & veg chopper like the one I use).  Add to the bowl. 

Add the spices and breadcrumbs to the bowl (I make these from my homemade Wholewheat Irish Soda Bread to avoid unwanted ingredients like preservatives in shop-bought bread).  Mix everything up well using your hand to make a firm mixture 

Roll into small balls and place onto a baking tray 

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celcius for 15-20 minutes, until golden-brown and crusty on the outside

To make the flatbread -

What you will need: (makes 2 large)
  
100g fine wholewheat flour  

50g strong wholemeal bread flour  

25g butter  

90ml milk  

Olive oil (for frying)

  

Method:

In a large bowl mix together the flours and salt 

Put milk and butter in a small pan and heat on low until melted together, then add to the flour and mix well with your hand 

On a lightly floured surface, knead the mixture for about 5 minutes until smooth 

Cut in half and roll them into balls, then using a rolling pin roll into flat rounds about 0.3cm thick 

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, then fry the flatbreads, one at a time, on moderate heat for about 3-5 minutes until you start to see 'bubbles' trying to push up.  Flip the bread using a spatula and cook again on the other side.  You can make these as floppy or crispy as you like, depending how long you cook them for.  This timing will give you bread similar to a toasted pitta, but nicer! 

Transfer onto a plate and put in the falafels, along with salad vegetables of your choice and fresh garlic mayonnaise. 

Fold in half, and for ease of eating I like to cut into three triangles.  Perfect for lunch or dinner with a nice hot cup of green tea!

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Many thanks. 

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