Falafel and Pita Salad

, from Issue #14. September, 2015
Photography by Minka Firth.
Falafel and Pita Salad

Enjoy a fresh green salad with crisp pita bread and homemade falafel.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

Falafel
2 x 400 gram tins chickpeas
½ cup each flat leaf parsley and mint
2 teaspoons each ground cumin and coriander
3 spring onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
finely grated zest 1 lemon
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad
2 pita breads
1 cos lettuce, shredded
½ red onion, thinly sliced, rinsed in cold water, squeezed dry
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
½ small telegraph cucumber, halved and chopped into small chunks
250 grams green grapes, halved
small handful mint leaves, ripped

Dressing
4 tablespoons olive oil
juice and finely grated zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon runny honey
1 clove garlic, crushed
yoghurt to serve

METHOD

Falafel: Drain and rinse the chickpeas and place in a food processor with the herbs, spices, spring onions, garlic and the lemon zest. Process until well combined. Add the breadcrumbs and the egg and season. Process again to form a thick paste.

Shape into 16 patties. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat a little vegetable oil in a sauté pan. Cook the falafel for 2-3 minutes each side until golden. Drain on kitchen towels.

Salad: Preheat the oven to 180 ̊C.

Split the pita breads in half and brush the rough side with olive oil. Bake until crisp and golden.

Place the salad ingredients in a bowl. Whisk the dressing together, tip onto the salad and toss.

To serve: Place a crisp pita bread on each plate. Top with salad, four falafel and a dollop of yoghurt.