Can you use canned chickpeas for the easiest falafel recipe?

Please don't jump on me if I admit I don't have a bag of dried chickpeas in my pantry. The falafel looks so good I'm craving it. Can this recipe work with canned chickpeas or is that just sacrilege and doomed for failure?

rpenovich
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3 Comments

susan G.
susan G. September 18, 2011
This came up recently. Soaked chickpeas give the right texture and bind the patty. Check the search box(search questions) above for more.
 
wssmom
wssmom September 18, 2011
As the chickpeas are not cooked until they hit the frying pan in marisab67's recipe, the patties would fall likely fall apart if you used canned chickpeas. That being said, you might experiment by draining the chickpeas and spreading them on a double layer of paper towels to dry them out for an hour or so before putting them in the food processor. It won't be the same texture, but it will taste good!
 
Sam1148
Sam1148 September 18, 2011
I can't speak for the particular recipe.
I've tried and failed the first time I used canned; There was too much moisture..and they just disintegrated in the oil. After that attempt I added a couple of table spoons of flour after grinding to bind it better...that worked. You'll have to go by feel and test drops there tho.

I've also substituted frozen, and defrosted, black eyed pea with no problem...it's a different more earthy flavor than chickpeas.
 
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