Chickpea Potato Koftas with Ricotta Cheese

I adore koftas and have experimented with many varieties in my kitchen. Popular in the Middle East and India, they are often made with ground meat, vegetables, legumes and almost always spices and herbs. They are typically served smothered with sauce or a gravy, though sometimes just a small amount of sauce or chutney is all that is needed. As a vegetarian, I of course don't cook meat, and you won't miss it when you try these little bites composed of chickpeas, potato, a little creamy ricotta cheese and a generous amount of spices to really impress the senses. Rather like a falafel, these are great for serving in rotis or chapatis along with some leafy greens and a tomato chutney or perhaps this sun-dried tomato paste. Perfect patio food, and they take very little time at all to make once the potato and chickpeas are cooked.

I've included ricotta cheese here as I had some in the refrigerator that I didn't want to go to waste. Yogurt will do just as well, or give them a try with some soft goat cheese.

An added bonus is these are baked rather than fried, meaning less mess and less oil. If preferred, you can shallow fry them in a few inches of oil, in batches, for about 5 minutes, taking care to lightly brown both sides. Drain on paper towels to get rid of excess oil if you choose this method.

Chickpea Potato Koftas with Ricotta Cheese

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on July 7, 2013 Soft, creamy and spicy baked chickpea and potato koftas with ricotta cheese — these are a hit at any gathering Print this recipe Ingredients: 2/3 cup dried chickpeas (2 cups cooked) 1 large potato 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped 2 green or red chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1/4 cup sesame seeds juice from 1 lemon or 1/2 teaspoon amchoor powder 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon asafetida 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons sesame oil 3 tablespoons ricotta cheese, yogurt or soft goat cheese chickpea flour (besan) as needed Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the chickpeas are buttery soft. Drain and transfer to a food processor. Meanwhile, roast, boil or steam the potato until fork tender. When cool, peel and transfer to a large bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Pulse the cooked chickpeas in the food processor. Transfer half of the chickpeas to the potatoes, and then add all the remaining ingredients except the chickpea flour into the food processor. Pulse or process until you have a smooth and fairly thick batter. Add more sesame oil or ricotta, yogurt or goat cheese as necessary. Transfer to the potatoes and stir until combined. Stir in chickpea flour as needed if the mixture is too moist to shape. Preheat an oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rub your hands with a thin film of oil and shape the mixture into small 2 1/2- to 3-inch patties. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning the koftas once part way through the baking time, until lightly browned on both sides. Serve hot or warm with your favorite sauce or chutney. Makes about 20 koftas

More little bites you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Brown Rice and Quinoa Cakes with Parmesan
Quinoa Goat Cheese and Parmesan Cakes
Stuffed Jalapeño Peppers with Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes

On the top of the reading stack: The Southern Vegetarian Cookbook by Justin Burks and Amy Lawrence

Audio Accompaniment: Brian Eno - On Land