Mediterranean Chickpea Patties

I’m trying to practice what I preach more and more. I’m supposed to lead by example, right? And I can’t expect my clients to listen to me if what I’m telling them isn’t practical or tangible.

That’s not to say that I don’t live by the points I make on this site but as I’ve been getting busier I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t been as good as I could be in terms of meal prep and thinking ahead.

This week I have been on point however!

Going into my fridge was like venturing into the unknown...you didn't know what was going to fall out on you or what was lurking behind the boiled eggs! I had cooked brown rice, roasted paprika sweet potato wedges, sliced peppers, those soft-boiled eggs and cooked chicken in the fridge, breakfast biscuits in the cupboard and lots of bliss balls in the freezer…oh and a stash of these delicious patties!

I was looking for a falafel-esque recipe to enjoy over a few days for and stumbled across these sun dried tomato chickpea patties. I LOVE the strong favour of sun-dried tomatoes and don’t use them often enough. The original recipe calls for cumin and turmeric - which I also love - but I had a few extra bits in the fridge to use up and wanted to play more on the Mediterranean vibe.

Like all recipes on this blog, these patties are quick and simple to make. They’re punchy in flavour, crisp on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside as a good patty should be. I've be enjoying these with brown rice, spicy roasted sweet potatoes, green and a herby yogurt dressing but they’d also go well in a lunch wrap or pita.

Mediterranean Chickpea Patties

Makes 6 patties, 3 servings

½ red onion, roughly chopped

2 plump garlic cloves, smashed

1 bunch fresh basil

75g sun dried tomato, drained of excess oil

20g kalamata olives, stones removed

300g cooked chickpeas

1 heaped tbsp tahini

½ tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil spray for baking

1. Combine the red onion, garlic, basil, sun-dried tomatoes and olives in a blender and blitz to a rough paste (you may need to scrape down the sides a few times)
2. Add half of the chickpeas, the tahini, oregano, salt and pepper; blitz again
3. Add the remaining chickpeas and pulse to incorporate into the paste without totally smashing the chickpeas – we want a little texture in there
4. Transfer the mix to a bowl, cover and leave to firm up in the fridge for around 30 minutes
5. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spray on a little olive oil (or use a brush to spread some regular oil over)*
6. Once the mix has chilled, scoop out 6 balls and place onto the lined tray; flatten slightly to form patties then spray the tops with a little more oil* and bake for 35-40 minutes, flipping the patties over halfway through

* Spraying or brushing with a small amount of oil ensures the patties get nice and crisp on the outside

** Recipe inspired by Minimalist Baker