This is inspired by Areyes, a Middle Eastern stuffed pita that is typically made with meat, but this is a vegan version of course! This plant-based alternative spares animals and is soo delicious. It draws from all of the herbal spiced flavors of falafel that I love so much and has the perfect combo of crispy edges and fluffy innards.
by Molly Yeh
Ingredients
1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked for 10 hours or overnight and drained
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, freshly toasted
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, freshly toasted
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
2 large cloves garlic
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves with stems
1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley leaves with stems
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
Black pepper
A pinch of crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 fluffy pita, halved
Olive oil or flavorless oil, for frying
Tahini sauce and zhoug, for serving
Instructions
1. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, cumin, coriander, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, a few turns of pepper, red pepper, flour, and lemon juice and pulse quickly, about 80-100 times, until the mixture is combined, but still slightly grainy.
2. Stuff each pita half with a lightly packed ⅓ cup (75 grams) filling, pressing slightly so that it extends to the edges and is an even thickness.
3. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add a generous coating of oil and when the oil is hot, fry each pita with the exposed falafel mixture face down until deeply golden and crisp, a few minutes, and then on each flat side of the pita until deeply golden and hot throughout.
4. Sprinkle with salt and serve with tahini sauce and zhoug.
Chantell and Brett Quernemoen
Molly Yeh
Molly Yeh is the New York Times bestselling author of Home Is Where The Eggs Are, Sweet Farm!, and Molly on the Range and the Emmy-nominated host of Food Network’s Girl Meets Farm. Along with her husband, Nick, she is the owner of Bernie’s, a bakery café in East Grand Forks, Minnesota.
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