Kolokithopites Fritters

Total Time: 20-35 mins

Prep time: 15-20 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Yield: 20-35 fritters

I often miss the flavors and food of Greece, therefore, I decided to make my own easy version of kolokithopita, as pancake fritters! These are super easy and make for a good snack or dinner with greek yogurt and a salad.

Ingredients:

- 3 pounds zucchini (washed, stems removed)

- 1 tsp. salt

- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp. all purpose- flour

- 2 large eggs

- 1/4 cup fresh mint (chopped)

- 1/2-1 tsp. black pepper

- 1/2 tsp. oregano

- 8 ounces feta cheese (crumbled)

- 2 tbsp. grated cheese, Parmesan or Kefalotiri

- olive oil

Nutrition (4 fritters):

220 calories 12g fat 16g carbs 10g protein

Steps:

1) Cut each zucchini on the middle, vertically. Scoop out the seeds and pulp from the inside, you can leave about 1/8th of the skin behind to use for another recipe.

2) Add the pulp and seeds to a food processor/blender and pulse until they are finely chopped. Put the chopped pulp into a colander and sprinkle some of the salt over it.

3) Cover the colander with a plate to add weight and drain the zucchini of its moisture. Drain for about 10 mins, then very slightly rinse the leftover pulp with a bit of water after removing the plate. Squeeze the pulp with your hands to drain it further.

4) In another medium to large sized bowl, whisk the flour, eggs, mint, pepper, oregano, and a little more salt (be careful not to add too much, the feta will already add a lot more saltiness). Stir the zucchini pulp into the mix until it is thoroughly mixed. Then, stir in the feta and grated cheese to make a thick batter.

5) Heat a skillet, then add olive oil until it coats the bottom by 1/2 inch over medium heat. Let the olive oil heat up for a few mins. Cook the fritters in batches, you can use a tbsp. or an ice cream scoop to make the little batches. Cook each side for about 5 mins and flip gently so that it does not break apart.

6) When each side is about golden brown, take it out of the skillet and drain on paper towels on plates.

7) To garnish, add a bit of greek yogurt on top and sprinkle some oregano. Add a salad on the side with an olive oil/red wine vinegar dressing with a bit of oregano and sprinkled feta.

Καλή όρεξη!