Zucchini Fritters

By á-58

Although these fritters are at their best when hot, in many Turkish cafés they are served at room temperature accompanied by the yogurt-cucumber sauce called cacik. Traditionally part of the meze course, they also make a nice side dish for seafood, poultry or lamb.

Ingredients

• 1 pound small zucchini, coarsely grated
• Salt
• 1/2 pound feta cheese, or equal parts feta and kasseri or ricotta
• 6 green onions, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Freshly ground pepper
• Peanut oil for frying
• Other necessary recipes:Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce

Preparation

Step 1

Place the zucchini in a sieve or colander, salt it lightly and toss to mix. Let stand for 30 minutes to draw out the excess moisture. Using a kitchen towel, squeeze the zucchini dry and place it in a bowl. Crumble the cheese over the zucchini and add the green onions, dill, mint, parsley, eggs, flour and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to mix well.

In a deep frying pan over medium-high heat, pour in the peanut oil to a depth of 1/4 inch. When the oil is hot, using a serving spoon, drop spoonfuls of the batter into the oil, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry, turning once, until nicely browned on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the fritters to paper towels to drain. Keep warm until all the fritters are cooked.

Arrange the fritters on a warmed platter and serve hot.