Super Easy Baked Falafel (Chick Pea Patties)

Start this recipe the day before with dried chickpeas. If you have trouble finding them in usual grocery store, seek one that has an extensive hispanic food section, buy loose in a health food store, or order online.

Rinse the beans and discard any sticks, stones or discolored beans. Cover with water about two inches deeper than the beans and let soak 16 to 18 hours or until doubled in volume.

Drain the beans and pulse in the food processor until an evenly chunky consistency. Do not make a paste or the resulting falafel will be dense and unpleasant. Do this is several batches to avoid overloading the processor.

Move all but about one cup of the processed beans to a large bowl. Leave the remaining beans in the food processor.

Wash, remove the stems, and roughly chop a bunch of cilantro. Add it to the food processor.

Add the juice of a lemon to the food processor. If you wish a strong lemon flavor, add some of the lemon's zest, freshly grated.

Pulse the cilantro, lemon juice, and the remaining 1 cup of beans until finely minced.

Peel and shred or grate the sweet potato, using the shredding blade on the processor if you have one. Alternatively, use cooked sweet potato.

Hint: the easiest way to cook a sweet potato is to wrap it, still in its skin, in foil and bake in a medium oven until a fork easily pierces the foil and potato. The sweet potato may then be scooped out of its skin with a spoon.

Do this when you have the oven on for other reasons. The time it takes will vary with size of the potato and oven temperature but allow about an hour. Put a second layer of foil under under the potato to catch any drips of sugary liquid that will stick and burn. The potato will keep, still wrapped in its foil, in the refrigerator for several days before use.

Add the spices and seeds and mix thoroughly. You hand is probably the easiest tool to use.

Shape the mixture into patties. Shown are 1/8th cup patties. The recipe makes 55 to 60 patties this size.

While you are shaping the patties, preheat the oven to 400F and preheat a cast iron griddle or metal baking sheet.

If necessary, lightly oil the griddle to prevent sticking. Distribute the patties evenly on the griddle allowing about 1/2 and inch between each. Bake 10 minute on one side, turn over, and bake another 10 minutes.

Move the cooked falafel to a rack to cool. Freeze to store, dividing layers of felafel with waxed paper to avoid sticking.

For a quick breakfast, microwave frozen felafel until hot, about 1 minute on high for 4 patties. Eat plain or top with Greek yogurt or other toppings. More traditionally, falafel are served in pita bread with lettuce, tomato, tahini as a delicious sandwich.