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 always as a result of she hated the mess of frying the falafel balls. So after I began seeing “smash falafels” aka “smash falafel tacos”—by 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. May a pan-fried smash falafel probably compete with the actual deal? I soaked some dried chickpeas and gathered up some contemporary herbs, spices, and the opposite components I wanted to make home made falafel and acquired to testing.  

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

Smash falafel won’t ever change true falafel, however truthfully, I believe it is a star in its personal proper. Should you’re on the lookout for that herby falafel taste, it’s there in full drive, and you continue to get that iconic crispiness by cooking the falafel flat on a skillet. From there, you’re capable of load up your sandwich with any toppings you want. Veggies and pickles add a contemporary crunch, whereas tahini sauce ties every part collectively and retains it moist. I like to decorate mine like I might a falafel sandwich—tahini sauce, after all, but additionally tomatoes, lettuce, and pickled turnips—however you’ll be able to go on your faves; zhug is nice on this as effectively. Our staff developed this recipe utilizing a pita, however you may as well use one other mushy flatbread, like lavash, or flour tortillas in case you want. As soon as dressed, you’ve your self a definite model of a traditional falafel that even my Arab mother enthusiastically accepted!

4 Easy Suggestions for the Greatest Falafel Smash Tacos

1. Go for skinny, mushy pita. This may make it simpler to fold your taco with all of its fillings. When you have pita that isn’t contemporary or feels on the drier facet, 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 by, 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 make sure that the ratio of bread to falafel is excellent 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 simple to unfold the combination and press down on the identical time (your arms additionally work effectively for this in case you don’t thoughts getting a bit of messy). Urgent down on the falafel will make sure that it stays connected to the pita, which can make cooking simpler. 
4. Griddle the falafel facet solely. This may make sure the falafel is crispy however the bread will stay mushy sufficient for folding. Should you flip the smash falafel over and likewise cook dinner the underside (the pita), then it cracks simply and turns into exhausting to fold.

June 2024