Summer / No. 08 / Salting and squeezing vegetables
Zucchini Fritters with Herbed Yogurt
Crisp-edged zucchini fritters with feta, dill and scallions, pan-fried and served with a garlicky lemon-herb yogurt sauce.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Yield
- about 12 fritters
Photo: Zucchini Fritters - Lunch at Yanyali Fehmi Lokantasi (642104 by William Neuheisel from DC, US, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Every summer there is a moment when the zucchini starts arriving faster than anyone can eat it. These fritters are our favorite answer. Grated zucchini is bound with a little flour and egg, flavored with feta, dill and scallions, and fried in shallow oil until the outsides are crisp and golden.
The step that makes or breaks them is getting rid of the water. Zucchini is mostly water, and if you skip the salting and squeezing, the fritters will steam into soft, pale pancakes that fall apart in the pan. Done right, they hold together beautifully and stay crisp for a good while after cooking.
Method
- 1
Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Toss with the salt in a colander and let stand for 10 minutes.
- 2
Meanwhile, stir together all the herbed yogurt ingredients and refrigerate.
- 3
Pile the zucchini into the center of a clean kitchen towel, gather the corners and twist hard over the sink to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Do this in two batches if needed.
- 4
In a large bowl, combine the squeezed zucchini, scallions, dill, feta, egg, lemon zest and pepper. Sprinkle the flour and baking powder over the top and stir just until no dry flour remains.
- 5
Heat about 1/8 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Drop in heaping tablespoons of the mixture, about 2 inches apart, and flatten each with the back of a spoon to about 1/2 inch thick.
- 6
Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until deep golden underneath, then flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a rack set over a sheet pan, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- 7
Repeat with the remaining mixture, adding oil as needed. Serve warm with the herbed yogurt.
Cook's notes
- Keep cooked fritters crisp in a 200°F oven on the rack while you fry the rest.
- Swap half the zucchini for grated carrot or corn kernels.
- For a gluten-free version, use chickpea flour; the fritters will be slightly more tender.
Keeping
Refrigerate cooked fritters for up to 3 days. Reheat on a sheet pan in a 400°F oven for 8 minutes to bring back the crunch.
Cooking times and temperatures are guides; ovens, stoves and ingredients vary. This recipe is for home cooking and is not dietary or medical advice. Check labels for allergens.
