Many of my casserole ideas come from failed dinner parties. Have you ever tried to fry fresh falafel for 10 guests? Had your first batch fail utterly, requiring you to delay dinner for 20 minutes while you heat a new pot of oil? Wrapped your index finger in ice and gauze after placing it into said oil along with your second batch? You haven’t? You are so smart! Given how smart you are, I’m sure you’ll just make this lovely casserole, instead.
Ingredients
CASSEROLE:
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 15-oz cans of chickpeas, drained, rin
- 3 shallots, minced (about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp dried red chile flakes (optional)
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese
TAHINI SAUCE:
- ½ cup tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup water
- ½ tsp salt
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking dish by coating the bottom and sides with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, add half of the chickpeas and crush them into a rough paste using a potato masher or a large fork. Then, add the remaining whole chickpeas, shallots, garlic,
- yogurt, ½ cup of parsley, cilantro, lemon zest, salt, cumin, coriander, and, if you are using them, the chile flakes. Stir to combine well. In a smaller mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
- Layer the chickpea mixture across the casserole dish. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture, covering the entire casserole. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden.
- While the casserole is baking, combine the tahini, lemon juice, water, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk until completely smooth. Remove the casserole from the oven, garnish with the remaining ¼ cup of parsley, and serve hot or warm, with the tahini sauce. Goes great with a lemon-dressed salad!
