fawaffles: falafel waffles with roasted garlic tahini sauce

- entreés -

A few years ago, before I had tried falafel at restaurants like Global Cafe or Casablanca, I tried to make my own at home. I was not going to try to fry it, and I didn't have an air fryer at the time, so I went with the baking method. They did not turn out well. They were mushy and not crunchy whatsoever. I gave my horrendous falafel making a rest and have left it up to the professionals at Global Cafe and Casablanca to satisfy my craving. That was the case, at least, until I decided that I would try my hand at making these crispy little balls of heaven not in a ball at all, but in the waffle iron instead. These turned out great. They are simple to make, crispy with minimal use of oil, and are fairly quick from start to finish. 
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INGREDIENTS

fawaffles
2 15-oz cans of chickpeas
1 yellow onion, diced
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp aleppo pepper or fresh cracked black pepper
2 tbsp garlic salt
2 tbsp onion powder
1 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp flour
2/3 cup parsley, roughly chopped
​extra virgin olive oil spray
toppings
3/4 cup lettuce, torn
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced into quarters
roasted garlic tahini sauce
1/2 cup tahini
​3 tbsp olive oil
6 garlic cloves

DIRECTIONS

1. pour the chickpeas into a colander and allow them to drain for 1-5 hours. you want them to dry out, so keep them away from any liquids. 
2. preheat your oven to 350. take a piece of foil and pour the olive oil  for the roasted garlic tahini sauce onto it. toss the garlic cloves in the oil then fold the edges of the foil up into a purse. place on a sheet tray and roast for 25 minutes.
3. in a small sauce pan, warm the olive oil for the fawaffles. add the coriander, cumin, paprika, aleppo pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. cook until they are sizzling and fragrant.
4. add all of the fawaffle ingredients to a food processor and pulse until just combined. do not over-mix. you want it to be a combined mixture but you do not want a smooth paste.
5. remove the mixture from the food processor and rinse the processor bowl. puree the tahini, roasted garlic, and the garlic olive oil until combined and add it to a squeeze bottle.
6. preheat your waffle iron. once hot, spray it with a light coating of olive oil spray. put a heaping 1/2 cup of the fawaffle mixture into each mold (the amount will depend on how big your waffle iron is). close the lid and allow them to remain undisturbed for 6 minutes. remove the fawaffles from the iron and serve with the roasted garlic tahini, slivered cherry tomatoes, yellow onion, and torn lettuce.