Who doesn’t love something fried every now and then?! In Italy, we love to use fresh ingredients of the season and courgettes have just been harvested from our family’s farm, and we have a party this evening so this recipe is perfect for us!
This recipe makes the most delicious, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside mini courgette fritters. Perfect as a canape or make them larger and have as a main course!
This recipe makes approx 50 mini fritters.
Ingredients:
- 1kg courgettes, coarsely grated
- 6 –8 eggs, beaten
- 150g grated Parmesan
- 150g grated Pecorino cheese
- (or use 300g parmesan if no pecorino available)
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 level tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
- 3 cloves garlic – finely grated
- Terre Di San Vito Extra virgin olive oil for shallow frying
Preparing the dish:
The process is simple and requires minimal effort. The hardest part is straining the water out of the courgettes. Because they are made of 95% water, therefore squeezing the water out is the critical step to obtain crunchy fritters! The rest of the process is similar to making a pancake and so easy peasy!
Start by shredding the courgettes using the large holes of a box grater.
Once shredded, place them in a colander over a bowl. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoon of salt, which will help drain the water out of the courgettes.
Wait 30 minutes and start squeezing the grated courgettes with your hands or use a cheese cloth or tea towel and remove as much water as possible.
It is crucial to remove the water, in order to have crunchy fritters and not soggy ones.
In a mixing bowl, place the shredded, strained courgettes, half of the beaten eggs, most of the Parmesan and Pecorino (hold some back in case the mixture is too wet/dry), grated garlic and the chopped mint.
Mix together well. Add a little salt and pepper. You should have a thick batter.
*Add the rest of the cheese if you feel your batter is too wet.
*Add the rest of the beaten egg if your batter is too dry.
Add some EVOO to a skillet or large frying pan over medium-high heat, and when the oil shimmers, add a large tablespoon/quenelle of the mixture, and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until they become golden brown on both sides.
Do not overload your frying pan. Once one batch are cooked, place on a baking tray and keep warm in the oven (on a low light)
To serve:
Serve the courgettes hot or cold – they are delicious either way!
Excellent as a side dish, party nibble canape, or main course. Fabulous on picnics and on a buffet.
Buon appetito!
Top tips:
- You can store your fritters covered with silver foil in the fridge for a couple of days.
- Suitable for freezing.
- Can eat hot or cold
- Can be adapted for any veg!
Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.