I can?t remember the first time I tried falafel. Surely, it must have been in college. That?s when I moved to the city and started exploring different cuisines. There are so many incredible Middle Eastern restaurants in Chicago, each with its own version of falafel that is delicious in its own right. My favorite type of falafel, and the favorite of most people I polled, is moist on the inside and crisp on the outside. This Crispy Baked Falafel is both. While traditional falafel is typically fried in vegetable oil, this falafel is baked. I?m really pleased with how it turned out!

The history of falafel is controversial; arguments about its origins are rooted both in culinary pride and political rivalries. But it appears that falafel was developed in Egypt, first appearing in Egyptian literature after the British occupation in 1882. Initially, falafel was made with fava beans, a staple in the Egyptian diet. You can still find falafel made with fava beans in Egypt, though it?s more common in the United States to see falafel made with chickpeas.
Perhaps you?ve seen homemade falafel recipes that use canned chickpeas as a shortcut. Canned chickpeas won?t work in this recipe. They are far too wet for the falafel mixture to hold together. Soak dried chickpeas in a bowl of water for 24 hours - this will provide a terrific base for falafel that?s fluffy and moist inside and crisp on the outside. Simply blend the ingredients in your food processor until they form...