Active Time

　　50 min

　　Total Time

　　3 1/4 hrs

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 20 hors d'oeuvres

　　

For chickpea mixture

1 cup dried chickpeas, picked over

　　3/4 cup chopped onion

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　3 scallions, chopped

　　1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Greek), crumbled

　　1/2 cup cornstarch

　　1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

　　All-purpose flour for dredging

　　About 2 cups safflower oil

　　About 2 cups olive oil

　　Accompaniment: 8 oz whole-milk plain yogurt (preferably Greek)

　　

Make chickpea mixture:

Step 1

Boil chickpeas in water to cover by 1 inch in a 2-quart saucepan, covered, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let chickpeas stand, covered, 1 hour. Drain chickpeas in a sieve and return to pan. Simmer in water to cover by 4 inches until tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Drain chickpeas in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve cooking liquid and 1/2 cup chickpeas separately.

　　

Step 2

Cook onion in 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add scallions and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are softened. Purée remaining drained chickpeas, onion mixture, cornstarch, and 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid in a food processor. (Mixture should be consistency of stiff mashed potatoes; if too stiff, add more cooking liquid.)

　　

Step 3

Roughly mash reserved 1/2 cup whole chickpeas in a bowl and stir in purée and mint with a fork. Season well with salt and pepper.

　　

Fry rolls:

Step 4

Form 2-tablespoon mounds of chickpea mixture into balls, then form balls into 2- to 3-inch lengths. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

　　

Step 5

Heat enough safflower and olive oils to measure 3/4 inch in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 350°F. Fry rolls in batches of 5, turning them, until golden brown, about 1 minute.

　　

Step 6

Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and return oil to 350°F between batches.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Rolls can be formed (but not dredged and fried) 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.