Fawaffle and Hummus

Photograph by Maes Studios, Inc/Will It Waffle

1 cup dried chickpeas, picked over and soaked in water overnight in the refrigerator
1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
nonstick cooking spray
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus extra to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 pockets pita bread

Preheat the waffle iron on medium. Preheat the oven on its lowest setting. Drain the chickpeas and place them with the onion and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until blended but not pureed. Add the parsley, olive oil, flour, salt, cumin, coriander, baking powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper, and pulse until mostly smooth.

Coat both sides of the waffle iron grid with nonstick spray. For each fawaffle, place about 1/4 cup of batter in the waffle iron, leaving a bit of space between scoops for each to expand. Close the lid of the waffle iron and cook for 5 minutes before checking. Remove the fawaffles when they are cooked through and evenly browned. Repeat cooking with the remaining mixture. Keep finished fawaffles warm in the oven.

Fill a large bowl with water, pour chickpeas into the bowl and rub them gently to pop off as many skins as you can. The skins float to the top where they can be skimmed off. It’s not necessary to get every last one off, so leave the stubborn ones.

In a food processor or with a blender, pulse the chickpeas until just pureed. Add the garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, olive oil, tahini and lemon juice, and blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice, if desired. Place fawaffles in pita pockets and top with hummus.