Baked Falafel Sandwiches with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce

Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern offering consisting of seasoned pureed chickpeas shaped into patties and usually fried. It's worth the effort to seek out Greek yogurt, which is thick, rich, and creamy. Make the sauce up to three days in advance and the falafel mixture up to one day ahead; bake falafel patties just before serving.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed flatbread)

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 1  cup  plain whole-milk Greek yogurt (such as Fage Total Classic)
• 1  tablespoon  tahini (sesame-seed paste)
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
• 
  Falafel:
• 3/4  cup  water
• 1/4  cup  uncooked bulgur
• 3  cups  cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1/2  cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2  cup  chopped green onions
• 1/3  to 1/2 cup water
• 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon  ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  to 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 3  garlic cloves
• Cooking spray
• 
  Remaining ingredients:
• 6  (2.8-ounce) Mediterranean Style white flatbreads (such as Toufayan)
• 12  (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Preparation

To prepare sauce, combine the first 3 ingredients, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

To prepare falafel, bring 3/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan; add bulgur to pan. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine chickpeas and the next 9 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until well blended and smooth (mixture will be wet). Spoon chickpea mixture into a large bowl; stir in bulgur.

Divide mixture into 12 equal portions (about 1/4 cup each); shape each portion into a 1/4-inch-thick patty. Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes on each side or until browned. Spread about 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce onto each flatbread. Top each flatbread with 2 falafel patties, 2 tomato slices, and chopped cilantro, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

388 (18% from fat)

Fat:

7.7g (sat 3.5g,mono 1.6g,poly 1.6g)

Protein:

18g

Carbohydrate:

64.6g

Fiber:

14.7g

Cholesterol:

7mg

Iron:

5.2mg

Sodium:

535mg

Calcium:

181mg