Chickpea-Potato Pancakes

Dear Lauren,

 You can have them with the sauce.

 Or you can have them with a squeeze of lemon.

Or you can have them with cilantro-coriander whipped cream. Holy cow.



But whatever you do, have them. And try your own variations because I tried this recipe a lot of different ways and they were all good!

Chickpea-Potato Pancakes and Apricot Sweet & Sour Sauce
adapted from Sabra Mediterranean Sandwich & Juice Shop's recipe in Pike Place Market Cookbook

1 (14.5 ounce can) low-sodium chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 medium unpeeled red potatoes, cut in 2-inch pieces, boiled, and chopped
2 teaspoons flour

1 zucchini, shredded

3 green onions, green and white parts, sliced or chopped

1 Serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes removed, finely diced (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil

I included canned beans because they are so convenient. But you can certainly make your own and the texture will be improved as a result. Just cook 2/3 cup dried beans which will produce around 2 cups of cooked beans. If you choose canned, you make add 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs if you like. I tried it both combining the breadcrumbs into the mixture and coating the outside of the patties with Panko. I liked both!

Mix together chickpeas and potatoes, and mash well with a fork. Add flour, zucchini, green onions, peppers (if using), black pepper, salt, cumin, and parsley, and mix well. 

Form chickpea mixture into 2-inch patties, about 1/2 inch thick, and place in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium heat. Cook 3-4 minutes per side. I cooked mine in batches and added more oil to the pan each time.

Apricot Sweet and Sour Sauce:

1/4 cup apricot jam
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 drops hot red pepper sauce
4 drops toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce 

I doubled this recipe because...we love sauce! Just stir all of these ingredients together and it's best if you make it ahead overnight or at least an hour so the flavors can mingle and the sauce can chill.

Love,