Homemade Falafel Laffa with All the Toppings with homemade harissa and homemade tahini sauce

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Topped Flatbread

1. 1
   Dissolve the yeast and the sugar in the lukewarm water and leave about 10 minutes, until the mixture foams.

   💡If the mixture doesn't foam in that time, the yeast is no longer active, or the water was too hot. Start over with fresh yeast and body-temperature water.
2. 2
   Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.

   Bowl
3. 3
   Add the yeast mixture and the olive oil and Knead about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, pliable and doesn't stick to your hands.

   BowlStand mixer

   💡For yeast dough, use the windowpane test: a small piece stretches into a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, and that's the sign the kneading is done. Add flour only by the tablespoon, and only if the dough is still sticky after a few minutes: too much flour makes a tough dough.
4. 4
   Cover and Let rise 1 hour in a warm place, until the dough doubles in size.

   Plastic wraporKitchen towel

   💡Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot. The dough is ready when it has doubled, and a gentle finger press leaves a dent that fills back slowly; if it springs right back, wait longer.
5. 5
   Divide the dough into large balls and roll each ball into a round, thin.

   Rolling pin
6. 6
   Heat a heavy (cast iron is ideal) pan over very high heat, without oil.

   StoveCast-iron pan
7. 7
   Cook each bread 1 minute per side, until blackish spots appear.

   StoveFrying pan

   💡The pan must be scorching hot before the first bread goes in: that way it puffs up and gets charred spots instead of slowly drying out.
8. 8
   Stack the hot breads on top of each other and cover them with a clean towel.

   Kitchen towel

   💡The steam trapped under the towel softens the breads: uncovered, they dry out and harden within minutes.

To assemble

1. 9
   Grind the chickpeas in a food processor with the parsley, onion and garlic, in pulses, to an even, grainy mixture, not a paste.

   Food processor

   💡In a food processor, grind in short pulses and check between pulses: it's easy to go from coarse to paste. (Sesame for tahini, on the other hand, is ground continuously.)
2. 10
   Add the cumin, ground coriander and salt, mix and refrigerate 30 minutes.

   Refrigerator
3. 11
   Form Small balls with wet hands.
4. 12
   Heat the oil' in a deep pot' to 175–180°C (345–355°F) and fry the balls in batches for 3–4 minutes, until golden. Transfer to paper towels.

   StoveSlotted spoonCandy/oil thermometerDeep pot for frying

   💡Keep the oil at 170–180°C: too cold, and the food soaks up oil; too hot, and it browns outside before the inside cooks. Without a thermometer, dip the tip of a wooden spoon in the oil: when medium bubbles form around it right away, the oil is hot enough.

   💡Don't overload the oil: every piece that goes in cools it down. Fry one piece as a test, then the rest in several batches, and transfer to paper towels.
5. 13
   Mix the tahini and lemon juice and season with salt.
6. 14
   Gradually add cold water while stirring, until the sauce is smooth, pale and pourable.

   💡When you add the first water, the tahini thickens and looks like dough: that's fine. Keep adding water and stirring, and it loosens into a smooth sauce.
7. 15
   Spread out the laffas and spread the tahini over them.
8. 16
   Soak the dried peppers 30 minutes in hot water, drain and remove the seeds.

   Bowl
9. 17
   Grind the peppers in a food processor with the garlic, salt and black pepper.

   Food processor
10. 18
    Add the oil in a thin stream, while Tahini, until a smooth paste.

    Food processor

    💡The thin stream is everything: fat that goes in too fast can't bind, and the sauce breaks. For mayonnaise and hollandaise, if this happens, start with a fresh yolk and slowly add the broken sauce to it; if the sauce is too thick, thin it with a teaspoon of water.
11. 19
    Place a few falafel balls on each laffa, add the pickles and harissa and roll up.