I like a good fritter; if it’s fried, there’s a good chance that I will like it. However, at home, I’d much rather shallow fry then deep fry, now that I’m especially conscious that food blogging is not generally conducive to a slim figure. And if the fried stuff can increase my veggie intake too, then all the better.
I bought a couple of giant courgettes at the local market one weekend and was looking to use them as a main ingredient for a light supper for the two of us. Fritters it was going to be, especially after I found this recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi, one that is used at his latest restaurant Nopi. His were spiced but I decided to leave mine more plain. The two courgettes served the two of us for two meals, giving me a chance to perfect their frying – a medium high frying temperature results in fritters with crisp outsides.
These make a nice brunch or light supper for two when paired with bacon and some salad, or as part of a larger meal for four. Feel free to switch the cheese around – the original recipe used manouri but I imagine that a nice feta would work too – or even leave the cheese out. I served them with a Greek yogurt with salt and piment d’Espelette but they’re also good with a chilli sauce.
Courgette and Cheese Fritters
adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe.
serves 2.
1 large courgette (or two small-medium ones)
1 shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 heaped tbsps plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
about 40-50g Grana Padano, roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsps olive oil
Grate the courgette into a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, toss to mix and then leave for about 10 minutes.
After the time has elapsed, grab handfuls of the grated courgette and squeeze over a sink to remove as much water as possible. To the now significantly drier grated courgette, add the diced shallot, crushed garlic, flour, baking powder and egg and stir well to combine. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the cheese and stir again to mix through.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat, pour in the olive oil and heat until the oil is slightly shimmering. Place heaped tablespoons of the courgette mixture into the hot pan, flattening them to about 1 cm thickness with the back of the spoon. You should be able to get 3-4 fritters in your pan (assuming it’s a 10 inch frying pan) comfortably. Flip when the bottoms are golden brown and continue frying on the other side. Drain on kitchen paper when fully cooked. Continue frying the rest of the mixture – you shouldn’t need to add any more oil.
This should make about 8 fritters in total.
Thu, 5 May, 2011 at 11:28
I love courgette fritters, they work really well with blue cheese or feta too.
Thu, 5 May, 2011 at 12:02
Yeah these look amazing!
Think trad Turkish dish, had at Red Art cafe in Dalston last night and they were great- http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/red-art-cafe-bar-london
Thu, 5 May, 2011 at 13:22
Looks tasty! And that side of bacon, heaven!
Thu, 5 May, 2011 at 13:31
these look great – every time I’ve tried to make courgette fritters they’ve come out a bit gluey so I’ll definitely give these a go.
Thu, 5 May, 2011 at 20:49
beautiful! looks so yummy will go make them now…
Thu, 5 May, 2011 at 23:14
Damn they look great and easy to make ……
Fri, 6 May, 2011 at 07:17
Am I really going to cook something with courgettes in it? Hot damn, Su-Lin, you have the hex on me, girl. I fear a moulded clay figurine with needles sticking out of it.
Or it might be the bacon.
Reckon I’ll be having a go at these this weekend, assuming I can bring myself to buy something I can barely spell. Reckon, also, that the baking powder is a helpfuladdition to my usual fritteriness.
Fri, 6 May, 2011 at 11:27
I’m impressed two courgettes were enough for two meals, actually.
Do you think there’s a difference, health-wise, between shallow frying and deep frying? I’d imagine the fritters absorbe lots of oil either way (and that’s why I love them). I prefer shallow frying only bc there’s less oil at the end to get rid of (i.e., the worst part of deep frying at home is figuring out what to do with the used oil).
Fri, 6 May, 2011 at 12:48
Love it. I make a variation on these a lot, which is an amalgamation of an old Nigella Lawson and a Nigel Slater recipe. I make them with dill,feta and spring onions.
Fri, 6 May, 2011 at 13:33
This looks like a great use of the courgettes that always sit at the bottom of my veg box (seriously, are they in season all year?). Quick question. how much salt do you sprinkle on them when you leave them to drain?
Fri, 6 May, 2011 at 13:49
yum!
Fri, 6 May, 2011 at 14:08
I love these too . . . and a big fan of using feta, more mozzarella too. Never thought of having them with bacon though . . . courgette fritters with blue cheese and bacon . .. I think I’m in love!
Fri, 6 May, 2011 at 16:31
I’ve been eyeing that recipe in my otolenghi cookbook for a while now-will definitely have to try!
Fri, 6 May, 2011 at 18:48
Oh wow, these look divine…I am SO going to make them this weekend! Love the fact you’ve made them relatively healthy and all, a proper guilt-free treat.
Fri, 6 May, 2011 at 20:13
oh, the power of food fried in oil. looks lovely!
Fri, 6 May, 2011 at 20:50
Looks good! I’ve never heard of baking powder being used as I use an egg, flour and milk batter to make fritters. I like to use in various combinations carrot, potato, parsnip and beetroot to make fritters.
Fri, 6 May, 2011 at 22:42
Ottolenghi has never let me down and I’m pretty damn sure these won’t be an exception – have somehow missed this recipe – can’t wait to try them out! His heavy use of manouri really makes me want to track it down though I’ve never seen it for sale – have you ever come across it?
Sat, 7 May, 2011 at 23:39
Yum! Just the kind of thing to eat in pajamas with an addictive show in the dvd player!
Sun, 8 May, 2011 at 11:52
I love courgette fritters. I tend to do them with some feta and loads of dill, parsley and mint.
Mon, 9 May, 2011 at 12:22
Joshua: Will definitely have to try the feta!
oliver: I really need to make my way to Dalston!
Rufus: BACON!
Lizzie: My first ones also turned out a bit gluey. But then I found that less flour and a slightly higher temperature cures all that.
Jingan: Thank you!
Mzungu: So easy – perfect for a weeknight.
Steve: Aye, fritters are fantastic (and with bacon too)! I reckon they’re a great way to eat courgettes – mmmm….fried!
An American in London: They were stonking big courgettes! I do find I eat more unhealthily with deep frying because I feel the need to use up the extra oil with more deep frying. So then I end up eating lots of deep fried stuff. I can control myself better with shallow frying!
sharmilasub: That sounds fantastic! I love dill so really should use it more.
The Grubworm: They do always seem to be available! I sprinkle about half a teaspoon and then mix it together. I find that the salt all washes out when you squeeze the grated courgette dry.
kat: Thank you!
Rachel: Almost everything is better with bacon!
thelittleloaf: That’s the one cookbook I don’t have – must rectify!
gastrogeek: Well, relatively healthy. I have no idea if it’s better than deep fried – but it makes me feel better!
alec: 😀 That should be someone’s catchphrase: “the power of food fried in oil”!
Robert: I do need to bring out the ol’ fritter idea when I have vegetables to use up. I don’t do it often enough.
Hanna: I’ve not seen manouri in the shops but then again, I’ve not been looking out for it. Gotta try it!
Marie: I like your thinking!
Foodycat: Oooh, dill and mint. Gotta try that next time – thanks!
Wed, 24 Aug, 2011 at 23:56
[…] buying lots as they’re so cheap right now at the farmers markets. While we do enjoy all the fritters and stir fries we make, I’m still always on the lookout for other ways to use this summer […]
Thu, 5 Apr, 2012 at 14:25
how to…
[…]Courgette and Cheese Fritters « Tamarind and Thyme[…]…