I first tasted falafel a few years ago at Oleana, a restaurant in the Boston area that serves phenomenal food with a Turkish and Middle Eastern spin. At the time, I didn't even know how to pronounce falafel. But soon after tasting it, I knew I wanted to try making it at home. Traditionally, falafel is made with chickpeas that are soaked, ground, and fried. There's nothing quite like falafel fresh out of the fryer, but it can become a bit heavy and dry if left sitting for too long. Read more.