Steps

• Chop the fresh herbs (here we use parsley, sometimes basil and oregano; my husband is completely intolerant to cilantro, but it would be perfect too).
• Mash (or blend) the well-drained chickpeas with a potato masher (or a blender) to get a paste.
• Add the juice of half a lemon, chopped herbs, olive oil, Aleppo pepper, and salt.
• Using an ice cream scoop, form balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 180°C (355°F) for 20 minutes.
• For the hot sauce: cut the onion into slices and sauté it in olive oil for a few minutes. Add the bell pepper and the tomatoes chopped into pieces. Let it cook covered for about fifteen minutes, stirring regularly.
• At the last moment, add some basil. You can blend the sauce for just a few seconds if you want, so it's not completely smooth and there are still some chunks remaining.
• Season and add Cayenne pepper to taste! Be careful not to make your sauce inedible though ;) .

NotesFor falafels, we normally use raw chickpeas soaked in water for 6 hours. But you can also make them with canned chickpeas if that's more convenient for you. If your dough is too wet before baking (due to poorly drained chickpeas or herbs...), you can add a spoonful of flour of your choice (gluten-free works too)!