"I soaked the chick peas for 24 hours and followed the recipe exactly, but the first batch of falafels fell apart after a few minutes in the oil. I'm guessing that not all dried chick peas are the same and not all absorb enough water. I saved the other batches by adding a few tablespoons of flour to the falafel mixture which allowed the balls to stay together in the oil. The flavor of the falafel was very good and we used the collapsed falafel balls as 'sprinkles' to top the pita sandwiches. I would recommend using a full teaspoon of red pepper flakes as 1/4 teaspoon doesn't really provide any punch. 1 teaspoon gives a little kick while still remaining fairly mild overall."