Traditional Falafel Balls

Falafel`s are  a healthy Middle Eastern favorite made from chickpeas

INGREDIENTS:
1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
1 cups all-purpose flour
3  tablespoons of finely chopped parsley leaves
1 finely chopped onions
1 tablespoons of minced ginger
1 tablespoons of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of cumin powder
½ tablespoon of red chili powder
2 tablespoons of tahini paste
1 tablespoon of black pepper powder
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Light Olive oil
Salt to taste


Directions: 

- Open the can of Chickpeas rinse and drain them  and mash them well. Set the mashed chickpeas aside in a bowl.
 -In another bowl, add the finely chopped parsley leaves, finely chopped onions, minced garlic, minced ginger, tahini paste, and lemon juice. Mix ingredients well.
- Next, add the mashed chickpeas and the flour to the mixture and combine them well.
- Add the cumin powder, red chili powder, and salt to the mix. Make sure the spices are incorporated thoroughly.
 -Now that your mixture is ready, you can start making falafel balls. Make balls approximately 2-inches in diameter.
 -Heat the  light olive oil in a pan or use  deep fryer so you can fry them. Once they turn golden brown, remove the balls from the pan and pale  on a paper towel.

-Serve hot, I put  3 Falafel balls in a pita bread, a couple of  pickle slices, diced  tomatoes and a dollop of plain  Greek yogurt.

Tuna Pan Bagnat

 A favorite in southern France, pan bagnat (pan ban-YAH) means "bathed bread.

For the vinaigrette:
1 small shallot, minced
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Ingredients :
1 round of country white  bread
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 leaves red-leaf lettuce, washed and dried
8 oz Brie cheese, in 1/4" flat slices
1/2 cup whole pitted Kalamata olives
1 large fresh tomato, cored, thinly sliced
1 sm. can  tuna packed  in olive oil ( do not  drain )

To make the vinaigrette, mix the shallot and vinegar in a small bowl, and gradually whisk . Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the bread horizontally into even top and bottom layers. Turn the top over, then drizzle olive oil all over the cut sides of both layers, using 2 or 3 Tbs of oil on each.
Make layers of all the filling ingredients. First, completely cover the sandwich bottom with 5 or 6 lettuce leaves, then arrange the slices of Brie on top. Scatter the  olives and cover with the tomato slices in a single layer.
Spoon about half the vinaigrette over the tomatoes, then flake the tuna  with a fork  and distribute evenly. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette and the oil from the tuna can all over the filling. Finally, replace the top layer of the bread to close the sandwich.
Wrap the sandwich well with several layers of plastic wrap and place on a cookie sheet or pizza pan or tray. Lay another tray on top of the sandwich and center some heavy items to press and flatten the loaf.

Place the weighted sandwich in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Before serving, remove the weight, unwrap the compressed sandwich, and let it come to room temperature.  Cut into 8 serving-size wedges  and  serve.

Greek Vegetarian Sandwich

     This sandwich is so flavorful, you will never miss the  meat!

Ingredients:
French Bread
1/2  of a  English cucumber thinly  sliced
1/2 of   med. sized Red onion  thinly sliced
3  Roma Tomatoes thinly sliced
Kalamata Pitted Olives
Mild Bananna Peppers
Feta cheese crumbles
Olive Oil
Cavender`s Greek All  Purpose Seasoning
Salt and  Pepper

                                               Cavender`s Greek All Purpose Seasoning

Directions:
Cut the French  loaf horizontally, creating a top and a bottom half, place in the oven  at 350* to light   toast abt. 10 min..

    On the bottom half of the  bread place the thinly  sliced cucumbers  to cover the  bread, drizzle with Olive  oil and  sprinkle  with  Cavender`s Greek All Purpose Seasoning.
  Next place the  sliced Tomatoes on the cucumbers and lightly salt and pepper, add the Bananna Peppers, then  the Red Onion  slices, and  now the  Kalamata Olives, you can place the olives in the onion slices to help hold them on the  sandwich as you are making it and add your Feta cheese crumbles, finally  sprinkle a  bit little more of the Greek Seasoning and  drizzle a  little more Olive  oil, put the top on the sandwich and  slightly  press it  down and cut  into  thirds and serve.

* Note
Cavender`s Greek All Purpose Greek Seasoning can be found at most groceries.  If not it can  be ordered from their website.   Cavender`s in  made in the Ozark  Mountains in  NW Arkansas

Cavender`s All Purpose Greek Seasoning