Chickpea-Artichoke Bites with Rosemary Aioli

I think I bookmarked this recipe because it uses chickpea flour (which, by the way, is magic!).  Pleasing but a little strange, these appetizers are like a cross between hummus and falafel, but a little more Italian than Middle Eastern.  They're soft and delicate, but they hold together well enough for dipping.

I thought that the bites (or puffs, or whatever) were a bit too lemony given how sour the aioli also was.  Actually, since I'm not really too keen on vegan mayo, I might keep the bite the way they were and create a different kind of dipping sauce.

Chickpea-Artichoke Bites with Rosemary Aioli 

(from the vegan planet blog)

Ingredients for Chickpea-Artichoke Bites

1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, well drained

1/2 c cooked chickpeas, mashed

1/2 c diced cooked potato

2 TB minced fresh parsley

2 tsp nutritional yeast

1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 TB chickpea flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

Rosemary Aioli (recipe follows)

Instructions

1. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 400* F.
2. Finely chop the artichokes or pulse them in a food processor until finely chopped. If using a food processor, add the chickpeas and pulse to break up.  Otherwise, mash the chickpeas in a bowl and add the artichokes and mash together. Add the potato, parsley, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, mustard, garlic powder, salt, pepper, chickpea flour, and baking powder. Mix well to combine. If the mixture is too dry, add 1/2 teaspoon (or more) olive oil or lemon juice.
3. Pinch off a small amount of the mixture and use your hands to roll it into a 1/2- to 3/4-inch ball. Place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the mixture is used up.
4. Bake for about 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Arrange on a platter with a small bowl of aioli and serve warm.  Makes 20-24 puffs.

Rosemary Aioli

Ingredients

1/3 c vegan mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, run through a garlic press (I used 1/2 tsp garlic powder instead)

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 to 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp sherry vinegar (I used red wine vinegar instead)

salt, to taste

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth and well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate until needed.  Makes about 1/3 cup.