By: Hannah Mink

To continue to celebrate Israel, this week we are making falafel! One of Israel’s most iconic street foods, falafel can be found almost everywhere in Israel. When I was in Israel, I kept a tally of the number of falafels I ate and ranked my favorites (even though every falafel I ate in Israel was delicious). My favorite way to eat falafel is falafel laffa, which uses laffa bread instead of pita bread. Laffa bread is chewier and thicker than pita and is wrapped around the falafel, while pita is opened and then the falafel is stuffed inside.

For this recipe, use dried chickpeas instead of canned chickpeas. Using canned chickpeas may seem easier to use, but they’ll be too wet and make the falafel turn out mushy after it has been baked or fried. You’ll soak the chickpeas overnight instead, which lets the chickpeas expand without making them too mushy. Traditionally, falafel is fried, but in this recipe, there are instructions to bake the falafel instead. If you’re looking for a healthier falafel or less clean-up, baking the falafel is the way to go. Enjoy your falafel!