Not once have I received reader requests for patty recipes, and indeed I have published various versions here for meat, chicken, fish, and vegetarian patties. From my experience, patties are usually received with enthusiasm by children. When I am short on time, I don’t fry the patties. Instead, I prefer to incorporate plenty of herbs and either grill them on a grill pan or bake them in the oven, and I never skip adding roasted vegetables.
This time I chose to make flat patties from chicken breast. Alongside them I prepared a variety of roasted vegetables and tahini meant to wrap all this goodness together. Into a wide, soft pita I stuff a chicken patty, assorted vegetables, and seasoned tahini. If your household enjoys spice, you can add harissa or hot pepper. And there you have it – a comforting lunch for kids.
Chicken Patties
Ingredients (for about 25 patties):
500 g finely chopped chicken breast (or coarsely ground)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 green onion stalks, very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tahini
1 teaspoon baharat spice mix or cumin
1 L-size egg
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Oil for frying or a grill pan for cooking (or oven baking)
Paper towels for draining
To serve:
Fresh lemon juice
Preparation:
Place the chopped or ground chicken in a medium bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Mix well until a uniform mixture forms.
Heat oil in a wide frying pan. The oil should be about 2 cm deep, similar to schnitzel frying. Heat the oil well. Take spoonfuls of the mixture, place them in the pan, and gently flatten. Fry on both sides until golden.
Remove the patties and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil. Arrange on a wide plate and squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over them.
Two-Tone Tahini Spread
The basic white tahini can be varied by adding vegetables. For example, cooked and squeezed red beet will create purple tahini, while roasted and blended red pepper will produce red tahini.
Ingredients (for 8–10 servings):
For the basic tahini:
1 cup high-quality raw tahini
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Juice of 1–2 lemons (depending on preferred acidity)
1 cup water
8 medium garlic cloves, crushed
For green tahini addition:
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
8 sprigs mint, finely chopped
Preparation:
Place tahini, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a bowl and mix well. Gradually add the water while stirring until the desired consistency is reached.
If you want green tahini, add the herbs, mix, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed.
Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.