Main Dishes

Falafel in Lettuce Leaves

This is a meatless dish served in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Normally Falafel is served with pita bread and with a yogurt sauce. This recipe eliminates the bread and replaces the yogurt with the more healthy and flavorful tahini (see Tahini recipe).

Ingredients:
· Garbanzo Beans Soaked Overnight
· Refrito (See instructions below)
· 1 Egg
· 2 Tablespoons Tahini
· Flour
· Oil for Frying
· Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper to Taste

Refrito: In a skillet with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, sauté ½ clove of garlic (minced), ½ onion (minced), ½ teaspoon curry, and a pinch of salt and pepper. This “refrito” along with the tahini will give the garbanzo paste its characteristic flavor.

Soak Garbanzos overnight in water. Rinse, and place in a pressure cooker with twice as much water as beans. Add 1 table spoon salt to water before sealing the pressure cooker. Cook under pressure 15 minutes. After pressure cooker has cooled, separate the liquid from the garbanzos. Mash hot garbanzos, add refrito and 1 egg. Stir thoroughly. Place large spoonfuls of garbanzo mixture in a bowl with flour. Toss and shape each ball or patty with flour and fry until brown on both sides. (The egg is the only raw ingredient that must be cooked.)

Serve each ball or patty with Tahini, wrapped in a lettuce leaf. Mmmmmm good! It’s delicious with flatbread or pita too!