Full-On Falafel Burger

August 25, 2020

“Before life brought me to Pinewood, I spent a great deal of time in Israel. Falafel became one of my favorite comfort foods, so I brought it with me. It’s one of our top sellers.” – Mee McCormick

Excerpted with permission from My Pinewood Kitchen, 130+ Crazy Delicious, Gluten-Free Recipes to Reduce Inflammation and Make Your Gut Happy, Health Communications 2020.

Ingredients

1cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained or canned chickpeas, rinsed well

1/2large onion, roughly chopped

4tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1teaspoon sea salt

1/2 – 1teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

4cloves garlic

1teaspoon ground cumin

1teaspoon baking powder

4-6tablespoons chickpea flour or 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend

8cups grapeseed oil, plus more if needed

Preparation

1. In food processor, combine chickpeas, onion, parsley, sea salt, red pepper flakes, garlic, and cumin. Pulse until blended but not pureed. (The mixture shouldn’t be smooth like hummus; it should have texture.)

2. Sprinkle in baking powder and 4 tablespoons flour and pulse, adding more flour as necessary. (Add enough flour so that dough is no longer sticky and can be formed into burger-size or small balls.) Place chickpea mixture in medium bowl, cover and refrigerate for several hours.

3. Form chickpea mixture into patties. In deep pot, bring 3 inches grapeseed oil to 375F. Cook a few minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.