Baked Falafel Crunch Bowl

Method

1. The night before, rinse the chickpeas and soak them in at least three times their depth of cold water for 12 to 24 hours, until nearly doubled in size. Do not cook them.

   Add in this stepDried chickpeas 120 g

2. Preheat the oven to 200 °C for 12 min and line a baking tray with parchment paper. For 3 to 4 servings, prepare two trays.

   oven

3. Drain and dry the chickpeas. In a food processor, first chop the red onion, garlic, parsley and mint finely, then add the chickpeas and pulse in short bursts to coarse sand. Mix in the cumin, coriander, salt and 1 tbsp of the olive oil and chill while the oven heats.

   Add in this stepRed onion ½Garlic cloves 2Flat-leaf parsley (leaves and tender stems) 25 gMint leaves 4 gGround cumin 1 tspGround coriander ¾ tspSalt 0.6 tspExtra-virgin olive oil (for the mix and brushing) 0.9 tbsp

4. Stir the baking powder into the mix and, with wet hands, firmly roll 16 balls 3 cm across, then flatten them slightly. Place them 2 cm apart on the tray and brush all over with the remaining olive oil. Meanwhile, cut the pita into 8 wedges and toss with the pita-chip oil, half the sumac and a pinch of salt.

   Add in this stepBaking powder ½ tspExtra-virgin olive oil (for the mix and brushing) 0.6 tbspPita bread 1Olive oil (for the pita chips) 1½ tspSumac ½ tspSalt ⅛ tsp

5. Bake the falafel in the oven at 200 °C for 12 min. Take the tray out, turn each one over, spread the pita wedges in the gaps and bake for 10 min more. If you use two trays, swap their shelf positions now. They are done when the falafel are deep golden and firm and the pita is crisp.

   oven

6. Dressing: stir the tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic and salt together; it will thicken. Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time, stirring, until it runs off a spoon.

   Add in this stepTahini 3 tbspLemon (for juice) 1Garlic (for the dressing) ½Salt (for the dressing) 1 pinchCold water (for the dressing) 3 tbsp

7. Cut the romaine into bite-size pieces, the cucumber into half-moons, the cherry tomatoes in half and the radishes into thin slices. Toss them in a bowl with half the dressing.

   Add in this stepRomaine lettuce 120 gCucumber 1Cherry tomatoes 150 gRed radishes 4

8. Divide the salad between bowls and top with the warm falafel and broken pita chips. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and the pomegranate molasses, scatter with the rest of the sumac and a few mint leaves, and serve at once.

   Add in this stepPomegranate molasses 2 tspSumac ½ tspMint leaves 1 g