Falafel Pita Sandwiches with Tahini and Quick Pickles

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Crisp, herb-green falafel made from soaked dried chickpeas (never canned), tucked into warm pita with lemony tahini, a shower of crunchy chopped salad and sharp pink pickled onions. The real skill here is the build: sauce goes down first as a moisture barrier, then hot falafel, then cold salad on top, so every bite stays crisp and the bread never turns to paste.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas (do not use canned)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (for soaking)
• 1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves and tender stems
• 3/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or chickpea flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
• 6 cups neutral oil for frying, such as canola or peanut

• 1/2 cup tahini, well stirred
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup ice water, plus more as needed

• 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup warm water

• 2 cups shredded romaine or green cabbage
• 1 cup diced Persian cucumber
• 1 cup diced ripe tomato, seeds squeezed out
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• kosher salt

• 4 thick pocket pitas (6-inch)
• 1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeños or dill pickle spears
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce or harissa, optional

Instructions

1. The night before: put the dried chickpeas in a large bowl with the 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and cover with at least 3 inches of cold water. Soak 12 to 18 hours at room temperature until the chickpeas have tripled in volume and split easily when pressed with a fingernail. Drain very well and pat completely dry with towels — surface water makes falafel fall apart in the oil.
2. Make the pickled onions: pack the sliced red onion into a jar or small bowl. Whisk the vinegar, sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt and warm water until dissolved, pour over the onions, press them under the liquid and let sit at least 30 minutes at room temperature. They will turn bright pink.
3. Make the tahini sauce: whisk the tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. It will seize and look broken — keep whisking while adding the ice water a tablespoon at a time until it loosens into a smooth sauce the thickness of heavy cream. Add a splash more water if needed and taste for salt and lemon.
4. Make the falafel mixture: working in two batches so nothing purées, pulse the drained chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, onion and garlic in a food processor until the mixture looks like damp coarse couscous with no whole chickpeas remaining, about 25 to 35 one-second pulses, scraping the bowl twice. It should hold together when squeezed but still feel gritty, not smooth like hummus.
5. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cumin, coriander, black pepper, cayenne, 2 teaspoons salt, flour, baking powder and sesame seeds. Squeeze a spoonful in your palm; if it cracks apart, pulse a bit more or add 1 more tablespoon flour. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes (up to 24 hours) to firm up.
6. Shape the falafel: roll level tablespoons of the mixture into 16 to 20 balls, then flatten each slightly into a thick puck about 1 1/2 inches wide. Set them on a parchment-lined tray. Compact them firmly — loose balls disintegrate.
7. Fry: pour 2 1/2 inches of oil into a heavy Dutch oven and heat over medium to 350°F on a thermometer. Fry a single test falafel for 30 seconds; if it breaks up, chill the mix 10 more minutes and add 1 tablespoon flour. Fry in batches of 5 or 6, turning once, for 3 to 4 minutes total until deep brown and crisp. Drain on a wire rack and salt lightly right away. Keep the oil between 340°F and 355°F between batches.
8. Dress the salad at the last minute: toss the romaine, cucumber, tomato and parsley with the olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Do not let it sit and weep, or it will water down the sandwiches.
9. Warm the pitas: heat a dry skillet or griddle over medium-high and toast each pita 30 to 45 seconds per side until soft, puffed and pliable — warm bread stretches instead of tearing. Cut a 3-inch opening along one edge and gently open the pocket with your fingers.
10. Build in this exact order: spoon 2 tablespoons of tahini sauce inside first, spreading it up the interior walls so it seals the bread against juices. Add 4 or 5 hot falafel, crushing each one lightly with the back of a spoon so it grips the sauce.
11. Now the cold layer: pack the dressed crunch salad on top of the falafel, tuck in a generous pinch of pickled onions and a few pickled jalapeños or pickle slices, then finish with another drizzle of tahini and hot sauce or harissa if using. Serve immediately, standing the sandwiches upright in a glass or wrapping the bottom half in parchment so the filling stays put.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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