Baked Felafels (GF) (NF) (V) (EF) (DF)

I wish I could take credit for this recipe but I should give credit where it's due as actually I found the baked felafel recipe here:

http://www.foodnetwork.co.uk/recipes/baked-felafel-sandwiches.html

I made some minor changes in my version but it still tasted good alhamdulilah. I should also point out that it was my dad who put in all the effort to make the felafels in the picture below- thanks dad! I found 'free from' gluten free pittas in the supermarket and I seriously couldn't tell the difference between those and the wheatflour version so they were well worth buying.

(serves 3)

Gluten Free
Nut Free
Vegetarian
Egg Free
(Can be Dairy free if you leave out the yogurt)

For the felafels:

1x 450g tin chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsps ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup coriander leaves
2 tbsps olive oil

For the tahini sauce:

3 tbsps tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 cup yogurt (leave out yogurt if on dairy free diet)
2 tsps lemon juice
A little water

For the salad:

1/3 cucumber, chopped
1/5 beetroot, peeled and chopped

4 gluten free pittas, sliced open

- Preheat the oven to 210 celcius/Gas mark 7

- Place all of the felafel ingredients in the bowl of a food processor except for 1 tbsp of the olive oil, then process for 10 seconds

- Stop the motor, scrape down the sides of the bowl, pulse for another 10 seconds until the ingredients are well combined but the mixture is still a bit course

- Form the mixture into 16 felafel balls and brush the remaining oil over them, then place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 mins

- Flip the felafel balls over and bake for 20 more mins until they are crisp and browned

- Combine the tahini sauce ingredients together, adding enough water to make it into a sauce (like thin yogurt) consistency (leave out yogurt if you are on a dairy free diet)

- Chop the cucumber, then peel and chop the beetroot (optional step: combine the cucumber and beetroot with the tahini sauce)

- Warm the pitta for a couple of mins in a toaster or grill, slice it in half widthways, then fill it with 3 felafel balls, 2-3 tbsps salad and 1-2 tbsp tahini sauce and serve

NB: I can confirm that the salad and falafel ingredients are dairy free. I have also checked the ingredients of the gluten free (Sainsburys free from) pittas and realised that they are dairy free too but if you are buying a different brand, then check the label.