Ingredients
Falafel and pita
- 3/4 cup dried chickpeas 150 g; not canned
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley 20 g, loosely packed; reserve a little for garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro 10 g, loosely packed
- 1/3 cup chopped onion 50 g
- 2 garlic cloves 6 g
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt 3 g
- 4 thin 6-inch pita breads about 60 g each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
Sauce and topping
- 1/4 cup tahini 60 g, well stirred
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons water plus more if needed
- 1 cup thinly sliced or diced cucumber 150 g
- 1 cup diced tomato 150 g
Equipment
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 Colander
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Large skillet
- 1 Broad spatula
Instructions
Soak and prepare
- Cover the dried chickpeas with at least 3 inches of cold water and soak in the refrigerator for 12–18 hours. Drain thoroughly and blot surface moisture; do not cook them first.
- Pulse drained chickpeas, most of the parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until fine damp crumbs form. Scrape the bowl as needed; stop before making a smooth purée.
- Divide among four pitas and press firmly into an even layer no thicker than ¼ inch.
Cook and finish
- Whisk tahini with lemon juice, then gradually add the water until pourable.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1½ teaspoons oil. Add one pita filling-side down and cook about 4–5 minutes, until deeply golden and the chickpea layer is tender throughout. Adjust heat down if browning too quickly.
- Flip carefully and cook the bread side for 1–2 minutes. Repeat with remaining pitas and oil. Timing varies with pan and filling thickness; do not serve a hard or gritty center.
- Top with cucumber, tomato, the reserved parsley, and tahini sauce. Fold gently and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 filled pita (1/4 batch)Calories: 482.91kcalCarbohydrates: 66.23gProtein: 16.87gFat: 18.2gSaturated Fat: 2.44gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5.67gMonounsaturated Fat: 8.72gSodium: 692.5mgPotassium: 635.31mgFiber: 8.67gVitamin A: 984.33IUVitamin C: 19.44mgCalcium: 211.91mgIron: 5.68mg
Notes
Use dried soaked chickpeas, not canned or pre-cooked chickpeas. Soaking is included in total time; cooking is done in four batches. Nutrition estimates include all sauce and measured oil, so actual intake varies with oil left in the pan. Contains wheat and sesame. Refrigerate cooked components separately within two hours and use within three days; reheat the cooked pita to 165°F (74°C). Nutrition is an ingredient-weight estimate from USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy; vitamin values are input-based estimates without cooking-retention adjustment. Brands and cooking losses vary.
