Baked Falafel (Air-Fryer)

Tis was the Summer of Falafel- hot, crunchy balls of green goodness smothered in garlicky tahini, and stuffed into pillowy fresh flatbread. For breakfast. Everyday. For two weeks straight.

I think there was some kind of beach in the background and a couple of happy, sticky kids… but I digress. My vacation was all about the falafel (or taameya, as the case may be). Egyptian taameya/falafel to be more precise.

Made out of fava aka broad beans and a whole lotta green greens, this kind of falafel is usually deep fried in a vat of super hot oil. But over the last couple of days I made it my mission in life to bake it in my new air-fryer.
It worked AND it was pretty darn good!

Enjoy;)

Ingredients:
200 grams of dried split fava/broad beans, soaked overnight
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup fresh coriander
3-4 small garlic cloves
1 spring onion, chopped
¾ tablespoon dried coriander
Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin (optional)
Water
Flour
Oil for brushing or spraying

Directions:

Pulse all ingredients except water and flour in the food processor. Then adjust consistency by adding a tablespoon of water until mixture is smooth but still firm. Add 2-3 tablespoons of flour to falafel mixture. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

The mixture will be soft but relatively scoopable. Make loose balls that are slightly smaller than golf ball sized and lay them gently on a tray or baking sheet. Put in the freezer until frozen solid.

Spray or brush basket with oil. Put frozen falafel balls in a single layer at the bottom of the basket and don’t start baking them yet. Wait a couple of minutes until their tops start to get a bit shiny. Then bake them for 10 minutes at 165 c.

Spray the falafel balls with oil and then raise the heat to 180 c. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until they turn a nice golden brown.

Use a spoon to gently coax the falafel balls out of the air fryer basket. They might leave a tiny piece of their bottom parts behind but that’s totally okay;)

Enjoy popping them in your mouth like candy or make a huge sandwich with some fresh flatbread, veggies, and tahini sauce.

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Baked Falafel (Air-Fryer)

Ingredients

• 200 grams of dried split fava/broad beans soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander
• 3-4 small garlic cloves
• 1 spring onion chopped
• ¾ tablespoon dried coriander
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin optional
• Water
• Flour
• Oil for brushing or spraying

Instructions

1. Pulse all ingredients except water and flour in the food processor. Then adjust consistency by adding a tablespoon of water until mixture is smooth but still firm. Add 2-3 tablespoons of flour to falafel mixture. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
2. The mixture will be soft but relatively scoopable. Make loose balls that are slightly smaller than golf ball sized and lay them gently on a tray or baking sheet. Put in the freezer until frozen solid.
3. Spray or brush basket with oil. Put frozen falafel balls in a single layer at the bottom of the basket and don't start baking them yet. Wait a couple of minutes until their tops start to get a bit shiny. Then bake them for 10 minutes at 165 c.
4. Spray the falafel balls with oil and then raise the heat to 180 c. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until they turn a nice golden brown.
5. Use a spoon to gently coax the falafel balls out of the air fryer basket. They might leave a tiny piece of their bottom parts behind but that’s totally okay;)
6. Enjoy popping them in your mouth like candy or make a huge sandwich with some fresh flatbread, veggies, and tahini sauce.