Fritters 'Zuke

By Kwasome

Be sure to squeeze the zucchini until it is completely dry, or the fritters will fall apart in the skillet. Don’t let the squeeze-dried zucchini sit on its own for too long or it will brown. These fritters are great warm or at room temperature, and can be served as a side dish or as a meze with cocktails. Serve with Tzatziki Sauce (see related recipe) or plain with lemon wedges. This recipe is from The Best International Recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound zucchini (about 2 medium), trimmed
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 8 ounces feta cheese , crumbled (about 2 cups)
• 2 scallions , minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
• 2 large eggs , lightly beaten
• 1 medium garlic clove , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon , cut into wedges (for serving)

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Following the illustration below, shred the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredding disk. Toss the shredded zucchini with the salt and let it drain in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl for 10 minutes. Wrap the zucchini in paper towels and squeeze out the excess liquid.

2. Combine the dried zucchini, feta, scallions, dill, eggs, garlic, and pepper together in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir until uniformly incorporated.

3. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Drop 2-tablespoon-sized portions of the batter into the pan, then use the back of a spoon to press the batter into 2-inch-wide fritters (you should fit about 6 fritters in the pan at a time). Fry until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

4. Transfer the fritters to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and repeat with the remaining batter. Serve warm or at room temperature with the lemon wedges.