Smash Falafel Pitas Recipe

As a Palestinian-American, falafel was a staple of my childhood, and home made falafel was all the time a deal with. My mother tried many pre-made boxed mixes, however none of them ever got here out to her liking, so she resorted to creating falafel from scratch. Her home made falafel tasted tremendously higher than the boxed stuff, however she did not make it that usually as a result of she hated the mess of frying the falafel balls. So after I began seeing “smash falafels” aka “smash falafel tacos”—during which falafel combination is unfold evenly on a pita or tortilla, then cooked in a skillet—on social media, I used to be intrigued however skeptical.

In any case, one of many largest attracts of falafel is the crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside texture that comes from frying the falafel combination. Might a pan-fried smash falafel probably compete with the true deal? I soaked some dried chickpeas and gathered up some recent herbs, spices, and the opposite substances I wanted to make home made falafel and acquired to testing.  

I began by making a batch of Kenji’s homemade falafel, however as an alternative of cooking the balls in 3/4-inch of oil, I unfold them flat on a pita spherical and cooked them in a calmly oiled skillet, falafel-side down, as I would seen in numerous movies on-line. To my shock, they have been extremely scrumptious. To additional hone the recipe, I teamed up with our check kitchen colleague, Nicole Hopper, who put the recipe via the testing paces to make certain it might be replicated at house.

Smash falafel won’t ever substitute true falafel, however truthfully, I feel it is a star in its personal proper. In case you’re in search of that herby falafel taste, it’s there in full power, and you continue to get that iconic crispiness by cooking the falafel flat on a skillet. From there, you’re in a position to load up your sandwich with any toppings you want. Veggies and pickles add a recent crunch, whereas tahini sauce ties all the things collectively and retains it moist. I like to decorate mine like I’d a falafel sandwich—tahini sauce, in fact, but additionally tomatoes, lettuce, and pickled turnips—however you’ll be able to go in your faves; zhug is nice on this as effectively. Our staff developed this recipe utilizing a pita, however you can too use one other gentle flatbread, like lavash, or flour tortillas for those who choose. As soon as dressed, you might have your self a definite model of a traditional falafel that even my Arab mother enthusiastically authorised!

4 Easy Suggestions for the Greatest Falafel Smash Tacos

1. Go for skinny, gentle pita. It will make it simpler to fold your taco with all of its fillings. When you’ve got pita that isn’t recent or feels on the drier aspect, you’ll be able to steam it within the microwave to make it extra pliable. Merely stack the pitas and wrap them in a moist paper towel. Microwave on excessive for about 10 seconds, till warmed via, steaming, and softened. 
2. Lower every pita into two rounds. Splitting the pita in half (creating two intact rounds) so that you’ve got thinner pita layers helps be certain that the ratio of bread to falafel is good and that the falafel doesn’t get overshadowed by the breadiness. 
3. Use a small palette knife to unfold the falafel combination. This will make it straightforward to unfold the combination and press down on the similar time (your palms additionally work effectively for this for those who don’t thoughts getting somewhat messy). Urgent down on the falafel will be certain that it stays hooked up to the pita, which is able to make cooking simpler. 
4. Griddle the falafel aspect solely. It will make sure the falafel is crispy however the bread will stay gentle sufficient for folding. In case you flip the smash falafel over and in addition cook dinner the underside (the pita), then it cracks simply and turns into onerous to fold.