Zhoug Falafel Pittas with a Tahini Dressing
Prep: 480 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Medium
Serves 4 people
Zhoug makes lovely green herby falafels which are great stuffed into pittas and drizzled liberally with Tahini. Adding homemade pickles brings a lovely authentic flavour and a pop of colour to these stuffed pittas.
Ingredients
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250g fava beans or chickpeas, dried and shelled
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1 small red onion, peeled and chopped
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1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
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4 tbsp Zhoug
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¼tsp salt
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½tsp ground coriander
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½tsp ground cumin
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200ml sunflower oil
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4 pitta breads
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100g Tahini
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150ml water
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Selection of pickles, such as cucumber, cauliflower or cabbage
Method
- Step 0: Cover the fava beans or chickpeas with water and soak for at least eight hours.
- Step 1: Put the onion and garlic in a food processer and blitz until fine. Drain the fava beans and add to the food processer, blitzing again until it has a paste-like consistency. You may need to scrape the sides down as you go.
- Step 2: Once ready, remove from the food processor and add the Zhoug, salt, spices and mix thoroughly.
- Step 3: When ready to cook, heat an oven to 170C/Fan 150C/Gas Mark 3 and put a large frying pan on medium to high heat. Add the sunflower oil so that it coats the pan and is 1cm deep.
- Step 4: Shape the falafel mix into small patties and carefully place into the hot oil. Fry on each side for 4-5 minutes until they are golden and crisp. Repeat with the remining falafel mix until it is finished. Whilst the falafels are cooking, place the pittas in the oven and warm through for five minutes.
- Step 5: In a small bowl, mix the Tahini and water together.
- Step 6: Fill the pitta with the hot falafels and pickles, then drizzle with Tahini sauce – salad works equally well instead of pickles.
