Smash Falafel Pitas Recipe

As a Palestinian-American, falafel was a staple of my childhood, and selfmade 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 selfmade 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”—through 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 spite of everything, 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 contemporary herbs, spices, and the opposite components I wanted to make selfmade falafel and bought to testing.  

I began by making a batch of Kenji’s selfmade 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 varied movies on-line. To my shock, they have 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 means of the testing paces to make certain it could possibly be replicated at residence.

Smash falafel won’t ever exchange true falafel, however truthfully, I feel it is a star in its personal proper. In the event you’re on the lookout for 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 contemporary 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 may go to your faves; zhug is nice on this as properly. Our crew developed this recipe utilizing a pita, however you may also use one other delicate flatbread, like lavash, or flour tortillas in the event you choose. 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 Finest Falafel Smash Tacos

1. Go for skinny, delicate pita. This can make it simpler to fold your taco with all of its fillings. In case you have pita that isn’t contemporary or feels on the drier aspect, you may steam it within the microwave to make it extra pliable. Merely stack the pitas and wrap them in a humid paper towel. Microwave on excessive for about 10 seconds, till warmed by means of, steaming, and softened. 
2. Reduce every pita into two rounds. Splitting the pita in half (creating two intact rounds) so that you’ve thinner pita layers helps make sure 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 identical time (your palms additionally work properly for this in the event you don’t thoughts getting slightly 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 aspect solely. This can make sure the falafel is crispy however the bread will stay delicate sufficient for folding. In the event you flip the smash falafel over and likewise prepare dinner the underside (the pita), then it cracks simply and turns into laborious to fold.

June 2024