Farfel Recipes

FARFEL

Steps:

• In a three-quart saucepan, brown farfel in oil for three to five minutes, stirring continuously.
• Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
• Cook for 20 minutes over low heat or until water is absorbed.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place farfel into well greased large roasted pan. Toast farfel in oven for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add remaining ingredients and cover pan tightly. Bake for one hour at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

FARFEL WITH MUSHROOMS AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water (4 quarts water with 1 tablespoon kosher salt) to a boil. Add the toasted farfel and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, but do not rinse. In a large saucepan, heat the butter or shmaltz mixture (based on if you want it meat or dairy). Add the onions and saute until translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and continue cooking, stirring often, until the mushrooms have given off most of their water and the mushrooms and onions are soft, about 30 minutes. Stir the farfel into the sauteed mushrooms and onions adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. If you are going to bake the farfel, stir in the egg and/or soup broth (if using). Transfer to a greased 2-quart baking dish. You can store the farfel covered in the refrigerator at this point for up to 2 days. Before serving, preheat oven to 350. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top browns and the farfel is heated through. Notes: You should be able to tell if your farfel is untoasted by the color: untoasted, it has the pale yellow color similar to other egg noodles; toasted it is somewhere between beige and golden brown. If yours is untoasted, you should toast it before you proceed with this recipe: preheat the oven to 300. Spread the farfel out on a cookie sheet and set in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pasta has turned a dark beige or golden brown. Periodically rake the pasta with a large spoon or spatula to ensure it toasts evenly. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before proceeding.

EGG "BARLEY": FARFEL

Steps:

• Roll out pasta dough 1/4-inch thick. With a pizza wheel and ruler, cut into 1/4-inch strips. Let the pasta dry a little, and then cut it into 1/4-inch squares with a knife. Boil until tender. Drain.
• In a saute pan, heat the olive oil. Brown the onions, then add the garlic, carrots, parsnip, and mushrooms. Cook until barely tender. Add the pasta and heat through.
• Put the flour in a mixing bowl, and make a well in the center. Mix in the rest of the ingredients to form a soft dough. Knead until elastic. Form into a disk and wrap with plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour to relax.

MATZO FARFEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt fat in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; cook 8 minutes. Let cool. Whisk together eggs, broth, 1 1/4 cups hot water, spices, and salt. Stir in farfel and onion mixture. Spoon into 10 (1/2-cup) ramekins. Bake until set, 30 to 35 minutes.

MY FAVORITE FALAFEL

Steps:

• Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.
• Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
• Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
• Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle-Eastern markets.
• Heat 3 inches of oil to 375ºF in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and pickled turnips. Drizzle with tahina thinned with water.
• NOTE: Egyptians omit the cilantro and substitute fava beans for the chickpeas.
• Joan Nathan Shares Her Tips With Epicurious
• Tahina (also called tahini) is an oily paste made from ground sesame seeds. It is available in Middle Eastern markets and on Amazon. To garnish your falafel in true Israeli style, try adding one or several of the following condiments: harissa hot sauce, pickled turnip, mango amba (pickle), or sauerkraut.

MUSHROOM FARFEL

Steps:

• In saucepan, bring broth to a boil.
• Add farfel (egg barley), cover, and reduce heat to simmer 10 minutes or until cooked.
• Meanwhile, spray lg skillet with cooking spray and saute leek and mushrooms over med heat for 3-4 mins.
• Add frozen veggies, thyme and cooked farfel.
• Stir and heat through.

EASIEST FALAFEL

Steps:

• Place garbanzo beans, 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, onion, 1/4 cup olive oil, egg, parsley, curry powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, and black pepper in a food processor or blender. Puree until coarse crumbles form. Blend more panko crumbs into mixture if it is too moist.
• Roll mixture into balls about the size of a golf ball; place on a plate.
• Press into patties and coat in panko bread crumbs.
• Heat about 1-inch olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• Pan-fry patties until crispy, about 3 minutes on each side.

FARFEL WITH MUSHROOMS FROM ARTIE'S DELI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-low heat. Add onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and caramelized, 30 to 45 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan, bring chicken stock just to a simmer over medium heat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add farfel, and cook, stirring, until toasted and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small roasting pan, and add hot stock. Place in oven, and bake until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet; add mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown and all the released liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove farfel from oven, fluff with a fork, and stir in onions and mushrooms. Return to oven, and cook just until heated through, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

FALAFEL

Steps:

• Put beans in a large bowl and cover with water by 3 to 4 inches - they will triple in volume as they soak. Soak for 24 hours, checking once or twice to see if you need to add water to keep the beans covered.
• Drain beans well and transfer to a food processor with all the remaining ingredients except the oil; pulse until minced but not puréed; add water tablespoon by tablespoon if necessary to allow the machine to do its work, but keep the mixture as dry as possible. (Too much water and your falafel will fall apart. If that happens, add more ground beans.) Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, cayenne or a little more lemon juice as needed.
• Put at least 2 to 3 inches of oil (more is better) in a large deep saucepan (the narrower the pan, the less oil you need; but the more oil you use, the more you can cook at one time). Turn heat to medium high and heat oil to about 350 (a pinch of batter will sizzle immediately; a piece of falafel will sink halfway to the bottom, then rise).
• Scoop out heaping tablespoons of the mixture and shape it into balls or small patties. Fry in batches, without crowding, until nicely browned, turning as necessary; total cooking time per batch will be less than 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.