Spicy Chickpea and Sweet Potato Bites

Name: Spicy Chickpea and Sweet Potato Bites
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 250 g sweet potato peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces; 360 g cooked chickpeas drained and rinsed if canned, then lightly mashed; 70 g breadcrumbs plain; 1 large egg lightly beaten; 10 ml olive oil divided; 60 g yellow onion finely grated; 2 clove garlic finely grated or minced; 2 tsp smoked paprika ground; 1 tsp ground cumin ground; 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper ground; 0.75 tsp salt divided; 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground; 15 ml lemon juice freshly squeezed; 15 g all-purpose flour for shaping, if needed; 10 ml olive oil divided; 0.25 tsp salt divided; 10 g fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

These baked snack bites combine chickpeas and sweet potato into a cohesive mixture that is seasoned, shaped, and baked until the outside is browned and the centers are set. They eat well warm, with a firm but tender interior and a crisp coating.

By Julienne

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

250 g sweet potato peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces
360 g cooked chickpeas drained and rinsed if canned, then lightly mashed
70 g breadcrumbs plain
1 large egg lightly beaten
10 ml olive oil divided
60 g yellow onion finely grated
2 clove garlic finely grated or minced
2 tsp smoked paprika ground
1 tsp ground cumin ground
0.25 tsp cayenne pepper ground
0.75 tsp salt divided
0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
15 ml lemon juice freshly squeezed
15 g all-purpose flour for shaping, if needed
10 ml olive oil divided
0.25 tsp salt divided
10 g fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Heat the oven to 220 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, then add the sweet potato pieces and cook until very tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. The sweet potato should mash with no resistance from a fork.
Drain the sweet potato well and let it steam off for 2 minutes. Mash it in a large bowl until smooth, then add the chickpeas and mash again until most of the mixture is broken down but still slightly textured. The mixture should look cohesive, not watery.
Stir in the grated onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, 10 ml of the olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, 3/4 tsp of the salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. If the mixture feels too loose to shape, add the optional flour a little at a time. The mixture should hold together when pressed into a ball.
Divide the mixture into 12 portions and shape each into a compact bite, about 4 cm wide. Arrange them on the prepared sheet and brush or drizzle the tops with the remaining 10 ml olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt. The bites should be evenly shaped and lightly coated with oil.
Bake for 14 minutes, flip each bite carefully, then bake 10 to 12 minutes more until the exteriors are browned and the centers are hot and set. The bites should be deeply golden on the outside and firm enough to lift cleanly.
Cool for 5 minutes, then garnish with parsley if using. Serve warm. The bites should be stable enough to eat by hand.