Zucchini and Parm Fritters

By á-3915

Ingredients

• FOR THE SAUCE
• EVOO
• 1 onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
• Large pink of crushed red pepper
• Kosher Salt
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
• 1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes (with their juices), passed through a food mill or pureed
• FOR THE FRITTERS
• EVOO
• 2 onions, cut into 1/2 inch dice
• Kosher Salt
• 1 zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmiginao plus more for garnish
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup whole milk
• Peanut or other neutral-flavored oil

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 45mins
Cooking time 90mins

Preparation

Step 1

FOR THE SAUCE

1. Coat a large saucepan with EVOO, add the onion and a decent pinch of red pepper--don't go crazy with the spicy stuff, you can always add more along the way--and bring the pan to medium-high heat. Season with salt and cook until the onion is soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Taste and season with more salt and red pepper if needed. Bring to a boil (BTB) and reduce to a simmer (RTS).

3. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens, 15 to 20 minutes. Remember, it's a dipping sauce, so you want it thick, highly seasoned, and delicious. When it gets there, remove it from the heat, adjust the seasoning if needed and get ready to dip.

FOR THE FRITTERS

1. Coat a large saute pan with EVOO, add the onions, and bring the pan to medium-high heat. Cook until the onions are soft and aromatic, around 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Add the zucchini, seasons with salt, and cook for another 7 to 8 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft just beginning to color on the edges. remove from heat and let cool.

3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, Parm, and baking powder. Add the zucchini and onions to the bowl and stir until just combined. Add the milk gradually (you might not need it all) and stir to combine; you want a very thick batter. Don't worry about the lumps.

4. Pour peanut oil into a large saucepan over medium-high heat; the oil should come 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the sides of the pan. While the oil heats up, set up your drying station next to the stove by putting a couple layers of paper towels on a baking sheet. To see if the oil is hot enough, drop a little bowl of batter into it. If it sizzles and floats quickly, you're good to go. (If the batter burns, or begins to smoke, reduce the heat.) Drop 1-inch balls of batter into the pan without overcrowding. When the fritters turn nice and brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes, remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towels. Work in batches to finish the rest of the batter. If the fritters begin to color too quickly, lower the heat; if they don't sizzle when they hit the oil, turn it up.

5. When all the fritters are done, serve them with a sprinkey-dink of Parm and the super-yummy spicy tomato sauce.