Pea & herb falafel with hummus & flatbreads

MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD TO GO, MADE SUMMERY WITH PEAS AND LEMON

Makes about 20

2 x 400g tins of chickpeas 500g frozen garden peas Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1 large egg ½ tsp chilli flakes 1 tsp ground paprika 1 tsp ground cumin Handful of fresh herbs (we used oregano, basil and mint) 60g rye flour Coconut oil, for greasing

1 Preheat oven to 200C/Fan 180C/ Gas 6. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and place in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, cover the frozen peas in cold water to defrost, drain and add to the bowl. Zest and juice the lemon, and add to the bowl along with the rest of the ingredients, and season.

2 Mix thoroughly and use a hand blender to break down the chickpeas and peas into a smoother paste: only do this for a couple of mins so that the mixture keeps some of its texture. It should be reasonably gooey but, if it is too wet to roll, add a little more flour.

3 Lightly grease a baking tray with coconut oil and, using your hands, form ping pong-sized balls and place on the tray. You should be able to make about 20 from your mix – you may need a second baking tray.

4 Cook in the oven for 25 mins or until they start to lightly crisp at the edges. Leave to cool before using a spatula to remove them from the trays.

5 Serve on a wooden platter with thick slices of shop-bought flatbreads and a couple of different types of hummus.

Cook’s note You can freeze these, so try making a double batch, as they make a great midweek meal with a big salad and hummus dip.