Pumpkin Falafel

I'm a pretty social person, but sometimes I just want to sit in a quiet corner and eat my falafel by myself. I call it meditation.



Pumpkin Falafel
adapted from Alice Hart's Vegetarian
Serves 4

For the Falafel:
500g pumpkin, deseeded, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 small bunch parsley leaves
1 small bunch coriander leaves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Yoghurt Sauce:
1/2 continental cucumber, peeled, deseeded and coarsely grated
300g thick Greek yoghurt
1 tablespoons lemon juice
Sea salt to taste

To Serve:
Warm pita bread
Cherry tomatoes, halved and seasoned with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil
Coriander leaves
Lemon wedges

Make the Falafel:
Preheat the oven to 200C. Put the pumpkin onto a baking tray, drizzle with oil, season well with salt and pepper and roast for about 30 minutes until cooked and golden. Set aside to cool.

Put the chickpeas into a food processor along with the garlic, baking soda, parsley, coriander leaves, ground coriander and ground cumin. Blitz until you have a paste. Tip into a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Mash the cooked pumpkin with a fork, add it to the chickpea mixture and mix well. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Scoop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 30 minutes until golden.

Make the Yoghurt Sauce:
Put the grated cucumber into a sieve and sprinkle with salt. Leave to drain for 20 minutes. Rinse and squeeze the water out using a tea towel. Stir the cucumber into the yoghurt  and add the lemon juice and season to taste.

To Serve:
Serve the falafels on warmed pita breads with the tomato salad, extra coriander leaves, a dollop of yoghurt sauce and a squeeze of lemon juice. Wrap the whole lot up and enjoy!