Falafel & Cucumber sauce

Ingredients

• 1 6 oz container Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cucumber peeled, seeded, diced
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (optional)
• 1 15 oz can chickpeas drained
• 1 onion chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash pepper
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• oil for frying
• 2 pita breads cut in half
• 1 cup tomatoes chopped
• lettuce
• feta cheese

Instructions

1. In a small bowl combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, salt, pepper, and mayonnaise and mix well. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
2. In a large bowl mash chickpeas until thick and pasty. In a blender process onion, parsley and garlic until smooth. Stir into mashed chickpeas.
3. In a small bowl combine egg, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice and baking powder. Stir into chickpeas mixture along with olive oil. Slowly add bread crumbs until mixture is sticky but will hold together; add more or less bread crumbs as needed. Form 8 balls and then flatten them into patties.
4. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties in hot oil until brown on both sides. Serve two falafels in each pita half topped with lettuce, tomatoes, feta and cucumber sauce.