Fresh Falafel, Pita, Hummus, Baba Ghanoush, and More!

Once obscure in the United States, falafel is increasingly available in restaurants and food trucks across the country. Falafel, a popular street food with a long history, has its roots in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean and is made from a fried blend of mashed legumes (usually, but not always, chickpeas). Falafel should be crispy on the outside and warm and fragrant with earthy spices and fresh herbs on the inside. It can be served alone, usually drizzled with a tahini sauce, or as a sandwich, as we do in this class.

Both canned and dried chickpeas are staples in the test kitchen, and which we reach for depends on what we’re making. Obviously when it comes to convenience you can’t beat the can, and as long as you’re choosing a good brand (see the lesson entitled All About Chickpeas in this class) they’re pretty perfect in most dishes—we use them in our Ultacreamy Hummus recipe. We do, however, opt for dried legumes in our falafel recipe in order to achieve the ideal texture—good falafel should have a slightly coarse texture with toothsome bits of chickpea throughout and canned simply become too soft during cooking.

Good question! These two dips are both staples in certain Middle Eastern cuisines, and can be pretty similar in appearance, but when made properly are really quite distinct. Hummus, as you probably know, is made from a puree of chickpeas and sesame tahini, usually bolstered with garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil and sometimes other flavors. It should be super creamy and nearly pourable—nothing like the stodgy, gritty stuff from the grocery store. Baba ghanoush also contains tahini, but that’s where the similarities end; the main component is fire-roasted eggplant flesh that’s usually hand mashed or chopped for a chunkier texture and a distinctly smokey flavor.

Absolutely not! And if you have a good Middle Eastern bakery nearby we encourage you to patronize it—especially if you can find out when the bread is hot and fresh and buy it then. But if you’re a baking enthusiast, or even baking-curious, making your own pitas is a fun project and will guarantee you have bread that’s worthy of your homemade falafel.