Lemon and Thyme Chickpea Patties

The lemon and thyme chickpea patties are a delicious and simple dish to prepare. However, here we introduce an Italian touch to this recipe, so let’s see how to prepare them with an eye to Italian culinary tradition.

Ingredients

• 400 g canned chickpeas or previously soaked and cooked
• 1 garlic clove
• The grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 2 tablespoons chickpea flour or other type, plus extra for coating
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying

Preparation

1. If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them well. If you cooked the chickpeas yourself, make sure they are soft and cold. Place them in a food processor along with the peeled garlic clove.

2. Blend the chickpeas and garlic until you have a homogeneous mixture.

3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the grated lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped thyme, chickpea flour, salt, and pepper. Mix well until you obtain a homogeneous dough. If it is too soft to form the patties, add more flour.

4. Shape small patties from the dough, then coat them in the reserved chickpea flour.

5. Heat plenty of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet and fry the patties until golden and crispy on all sides.

6. Drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.

7. Serve hot, accompanied by a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and, if desired, a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil.

Fun Facts

Chickpeas are a very common ingredient in vegetarian and vegan cuisine thanks to their high protein content. These patties are a light and flavorful variant of traditional falafel and can be served as an appetizer or as a light main course. The touch of lemon makes them particularly suitable for summer cuisine.