Sweet potato falafel with sweet potato hummus and flatbreads
Traditional hummus and falafel are given a twist with the addition of sweet potatoes. The recipe makes more hummus than you will need for the wraps, but it stores well (see tips).
Ingredients
For the falafel
- 1 small sweet potato (approximately 150g/5½oz), peeled and cut into cubes
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for binding if needed
- 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp harissa
- small bunch fresh coriander
- ½ lemon, juice only
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- vegetable oil, for shallow frying
For the flatbreads
- 200g/7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- large pinch salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp cumin
For the hummus
- 1 small sweet potato (approximately 150g/5½oz), peeled and cut into chunks
- 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ lemon, juice only
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra if needed
- ½ tsp chipotle paste
For the cucumber pickle
- ½ cucumber, deseeded and julienned
- small bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the optional toppings
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú feta, crumbled
- chilli oil
- tahini
- chopped fresh coriander
- 1 lemon, zest only
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
For the falafel, place the sweet potato on a baking tray, drizzle over the olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 15–20 minutes, or until tender and crisp around the edges. Set aside to cool.
Put the cooled sweet potato and all the remaining falafel ingredients in a food processor and blend to a coarse paste. Add a drizzle of olive oil to bind the mixture if necessary and season generously with salt and pepper. Using wet hands, divide the mixture into 12 equal-sized small balls. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
For the flatbreads, place the flour, salt, oil and cumin in a large bowl. Mix to combine and then gradually pour in 100ml/3½fl oz lukewarm water. Using your hands, knead the mixture for 3–5 minutes to form a soft, smooth dough. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for up to 30 minutes.
For the hummus, cook the sweet potato in a saucepan of boiling water for 8–10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and leave to cool. Once cool, place in a food processor with all of the other hummus ingredients and blend together until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and loosen with a little extra oil if you wish.
For the pickle, mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and leave to sit for 10 minutes.
To cook the falafel, heat about 4cm/1½in vegetable oil in a wide, deep saucepan. Once hot, shallow fry the falafel balls over a medium heat until golden on each side (about 2–3 minutes on each side). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
To cook the flatbreads, divide the dough into 4 equal-sized balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll the balls out into thin circles. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan until very hot and cook each flatbread for 1 minute on each side, until puffed up and lightly charred.
To assemble, top the flatbreads with the hummus, falafel, pickle and your choice of toppings. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
There will be leftover hummus that you can store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or alternatively freeze in batches.