Sluttishly Savoury: Falafel on Baked Halloumi with Seasoned Flat Chips

Cooking is great fun, and eating is even better! My family love falafel; we have them in wraps, as lunchbox snacks, for picnics ... all the time, really! The great thing about falafel is you just chuck all the ingredients in a bowl and you're off!

You'll need:

• pack of halloumi cheese

For the falafel (makes 8):

• 400g tinned chickpeas
• one chopped onion
• one large garlic clove (chopped)
• one handful of coriander (chopped
• one handful of parsley (chopped)
• a big pinch of ground cumin
• cracked black pepper (to taste)
• a pinch of salt
• 4 tablespoons of flour
• one teaspoon of baking powder
• olive oil for frying

For the flat chips:

• four medium-sized potatoes
• handful of plain flour
• salt, pepper and dried thyme
• olive oil for frying

Make it!

Falafels:

• Blend or mash the chickpeas until reasonably smooth.
• Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Add a little water if you think the mix is a bit dry (just a touch!).
• Cover the bowl with cling film and leave in the fridge; preferably overnight but for at least a couple of hours.
• Once cooled, heat about 1.5 centimeters of oil in a non-stick pan.
• Roll your falafel mixture into balls, each about half the size of your closed fist.
• Fry the falafels four at a time, for 3 minutes on each side. You're looking for a nice dark brown colour.
• Blot the falafels on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.

Flat Chips:

• Boil some slightly salted water. You can think about what you would look like if you didn't have any ears whilst you do this, if you like.
• Pop the potatoes into the water and boil for the amount of time it takes to prepare a three-leaf salad (about 4-5 minutes).
• Remove the potatoes from the hot water and put in cold water for a minute or two so they are cool enough to handle.
• Slice the potatoes into 2cm slices (not too thick); discard the end pieces as they're annoying to fry.
• Heat about a centimeter of oil in a non-stick pan. Let it get nice and hot (look for a little smoke rising from the oil and you're in business).
• Whilst your oil is heating toss the potato slices into flour seasoned with the thyme, salt and pepper.
• Fry the slices for 4-5 minutes either side; or until they are golden with little bubbles.

Halloumi:

• Slice the halloumi into inch-thick slices.
• Pop into an oven on a baking tray lined with tin foil. Fold the foil loosely over the top of the cheese.
• Bake for about 15 minutes.

Serve with hummus (I'll be making that soon for your recipe pleasure!) and a nice crisp salad.