Falafel Pitas with Goat Cheese Sauce

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These baked chickpea patties are much leaner than traditional falafel. Using soaked (but not cooked) dried chickpeas creates a hearty flavor and texture for the falafel that you won't get with canned beans. A small amount of goat cheese goes far in the yogurt sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed pita halves)

Ingredients

Falafel:
1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (6-inch) whole wheat pita, torn into large pieces
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 large egg whites
Cooking spray

Relish:
2 cups chopped seeded plum tomato
1 cup chopped seeded English cucumber
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 serrano chile, minced

Sauce:
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup (2 ounces) soft (log-style) goat cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 small garlic clove, minced

Remaining ingredient:
4 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, halved

Preparation

1. To prepare falafel, sort and wash chickpeas, and place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350º.
3. Combine chickpeas and next 11 ingredients (through 2 chopped garlic cloves) in a food processor; pulse 8 to 10 times or until finely chopped. Spoon mixture into a bowl. Add egg whites to chickpea mixture, and stir well. Let stand 15 minutes. Divide mixture into 16 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350º for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. To prepare relish, combine tomato and next 5 ingredients (through chile).
5. To prepare sauce, combine yogurt, goat cheese, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1 minced garlic clove, stirring with a whisk until smooth.
6. Place 2 falafel patties in each pita half; spoon about 1/3 cup relish and 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce into each pita half. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 450 (17% from fat)
Fat: 8.7g (sat 3.3g,mono 1.8g,poly 2.1g)
Protein: 24.9g
Carbohydrate: 72.3g
Fiber: 14.9g
Cholesterol: 10mg
Iron: 6.2mg
Sodium: 997mg
Calcium: 315mg

Graham Kerr, Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005

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