Zucchini Fritters
These easy zucchini fritters are crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. Feta cheese takes the flavours to the next level.
About Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini fritters are an ideal summer dish. You can enjoy them at room temperature or cold as a light snack, meze or even finger food at parties and picnics. When they are accompanied by garlic-infused yoghurt, they taste even better. Besides, they are effortless to make.
MAKES 15 – 20
PREP TIME: 20 MINS + 10 MINS WAIT
COOK TIME: 15 MINS
In this version, I grate the zucchinis, combine them with herbs, feta cheese, flour and eggs, and then fry spoonful of this mixture in a shallow pan. For a healthier option, you can bake the whole zucchini mix in a greased baking dish at 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4 for about 35-40 minutes.
This zucchini fritter recipe is from one of my yenges – in Turkish, an uncle’s wife is called ‘yenge’. Whenever I go to Turkey, she always invites us for dinner. As well as serving us a starter, main meal and dessert, she also decorates the whole dinner table with an array of appetisers. No wonder why I never turn down her invitation. The last time when I visited her, mücver was one of the mezes at the table. I immediately took the opportunity and wrote down her special zucchini fritters recipe. I have added an extra ingredient here – feta cheese. This is an entirely personal choice. Traditionally feta is not included in zucchini fritters .
Some Tips & Suggestion for Making Great Zucchini Fritters
- Avoid adding too much flour to the mix.
- Squeezing the water out of the grated zucchini is essential to get the right consistency.
- Once you have mixed all the ingredients together, don’t let the zucchini mixture wait on the side. Waiting will cause the batter to become watery.
- The oil should be sizzling hot; in this way, the fritters won’t suck up too much oil. I used 1 cup of rapeseed oil for 28 cm (dia. 11 inch) frying pan. If your pan is bigger, you may want to use some more oil.
- Drop a small amount of zucchini batter into the frying pan to achieve the best flavours. If the pieces are too thick and big, inside won’t cook well enough.
- Transfer the cooked fritters to a plate lined with a paper towel to get rid of the excess oil.
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized zucchinis, coarsely grated
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 4 spring onions, finely chopped (leaves only)
- A big handful of parsley, finely chopped (leaves only)
- A big handful of mint, finely chopped (leaves only)
- A big handful of dill, finely chopped (leaves only)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (see note)
- 1/4 tsp salt (depending on the saltines of your cheese) + some more to sprinkle
- 2 small eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp heaped self-raising flour
- 100 g Turkish white cheese or feta cheese, crumbled
- 216 ml (1 cup) rapeseed oil for shallow frying
Yoghurt Sauce
- 1 small garlic, crushed
- 245 g (1 cup) Turkish or Greek- style yoghurt
- Pinch of salt
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Place the grated zucchinis in a colander, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and leave it on the side for 10 minutes to release its water. With your hands or a kitchen towel, squeeze out any excess water in the zucchini completely and put it in a big bowl.
Step 2
Add all the ingredients to the zucchini and combine them well. Depending on the size of your courgettes, you may need a tiny bit more or less flour. You should obtain a cake-like consistency at the end.
Step 3
Heat the oil in a big heavy-based non-stick frying pan. Once it’s sizzling hot, drop heaped tablespoonfuls of the zucchini mix into the pan without overcrowding it. Keep them well apart and and flatten each fritter slightly with the back of a spoon as they cook. Fry them over a medium heat on both sides until they are golden brown, for about 7-8 minutes. The edges should be crispy, and the middle should be soft. Transfer them with a straining spoon to a plate lined with a paper towel. Continue with the rest of the batches.
Step 4
To make the yoghurt sauce, add crushed garlic and a pinch of salt into the yoghurt. With the help of a whisk, mix it well until you get a smooth consistency. Dip your zucchini fritters into the sauce and enjoy.
Goes Well With
- Garlic Infused Yoghurt
- Russian Salad
- Turkish Tea
- Sour Cream and Chives
Notes
Red pepper flakes: These flakes have a moderate heat. You can find them in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. Ground cayenne powder can be used as a substitute. Use half as much ground cayenne to achieve the same level of heat. You can find more information about this here.
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Kabak mücver sabah,öğle, akşam herzaman sıcak soğuk yiyebileceğim en sevdiklerimden .Teşekkürler Sonay ellerine sağlık.
Afiyet olsun.