Roasted Eggplant Falafel Bites are the perfect game day bites and party food! Snack on these crispy eggplant and chickpea fritters dipped in hummus or your favorite dip.
Slice the eggplant in half and score the flesh of each eggplant half with a sharp knife in a diagonal pattern. Place the eggplant in a colander set over a plate and salt generously. Let the eggplant sit for 20-30 minutes.
Rinse the eggplant under cool running water, then pat dry with paper towels. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Roast for about 20 minutes, cut side up, for about 30 minutes, or until the eggplant is golden and fork tender. Let it cool slightly, then scoop the tender eggplant out of its skin, and if necessary, place in a strainer to remove excess moisture. Discard the skin.
In the bowl of a food processor, place the potato chips and process until they are fine crumbs. Transfer to a shallow bowl.
Return the food processor to its stand. Place the eggplant, chickpeas, garlic, shallot, cilantro, cumin, salt and paprika. Pulse a few times until combined, but not too much so that it becomes puréed. Sprinkle in the flour and baking powder and pulse or stir a few more times. If the mixture comes together in a ball in your hands it is ready. If the mixture is still moist, gently stir in a little more flour until it is ready.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out balls of the dough, about 1 1/2 inches wide and place on the tray. Chill the dough for at least 40 minutes in the refrigerator.
Once chilled, coat each falafel bite in the crushed potato chips. Set aside.
In a small deep sided skillet or cast iron pan, pour enough peanut oil so it is about 3 inches deep. Heat over medium heat until the oil is 375°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, the oil will shimmer and if you insert a wooden chopstick, you will see tiny bubbles. Test the oil by gently frying one of the falafel bites. If all is well, proceed with the remaining falafel bites, six at a time, using a large slotted spoon to rotate them as they fry. They will expand a little as they cook. Fry for about 4 minutes or until golden and fully cooked on the inside. Carefully remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.