Recipe - Falafel Pita Sandwiches

One half pound Dried fava beans; soaked
overnight
One half cup Minced scallions
One fourth cup Minced fresh parsley leaves
2 Garlic cloves; minced
1 One half teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
Three fourths teaspoon Ground coriander
One fourth teaspoon Double acting baking powder
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne
Vegetable shortening for
deep frying
6 Pita pockets

GARNISH
Chopped vegetable salad;
recipe follows
Sesame Dressing; recipe
follows

CHOPPED VEGETABLE SALAD
1 One half pound Tomatoes; peeled, seeded,
and chopped
1 Green bell pepper; chopped
1 Cucumber; peeled, seeded,
and chopped
4 Radishes; chopped fine
3 Scallions; cut or sliced up thin
crosswise
2 tablespoon Minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoon Minced fresh mint
3 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
1 Garlic clove; mashed to a
paste
3 tablespoon Olive oil

SESAME DRESSING
2 Garlic cloves
One half teaspoon Salt
One half teaspoon Ground cumin
One half cup Tahini
One half cup Fresh lemon juice

COOKING LIVE SHOW #CL9047

Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Discard any brown skin from each soaked bean if necessary and in a food
processor fitted with a steel blade puree the beans until fine. Add the
scallions, parsley, garlic, salt, cumin, coriander, baking powder, and
cayenne and blend the mixture to as smooth a paste as possible. The mixture
will remain grainy. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it stand,
covered, for 30 minutes.

Form the fava bean mixture into eighteen 1 1/2inch round patties and
arrange them in one layer on waxed paper. In a deep fryer heat 2 1/2inches
vegetable shortening to 375 degrees and fry the falafel in batches for 1 to
2 minutes, or until it is golden brown, transferring it with a slotted
spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Heat the pita pockets in foil
in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Fill each pita with 3 of the
falafel, top with a heaping spoonful of the chopped vegetable salad and the
sesame dressing on the side.

Yield: 6 sandwiches

CHOPPED VEGETABLE SALAD:

Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

In glass bowl combine the tomatoes, green pepper, cucumber, radishes,
scallions, parsley, and mint. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon
juice, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a slow stream,
whisking, until the dressing is emulsified. Drizzle the dressing over the
vegetables and toss the salad until combined well.

Yield: 3 One half cups

SESAME DRESSING:

Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Using a pestle, mash the garlic and salt to a paste and stir in the cumin.
Add the tahini, combine the mixture well and add One half cup of the lemon juice
in a slow stream, whisking. Beat in 1 or 2 tablespoons of water, or enough
to make a thick creamy sauce, and season if necessary with additional salt
and lemon juice.

Yield: 1 cup

Posted to recipeludigest Volume 01 Number 576 by jecraig@laninc.com on
Jan 22, 98