Cycladic Kolokythokeftedes (Κυκλαδίτικοι Κολοκυθοκεφτέδες)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •box grater with large holes
• •clean kitchen towel for squeezing
• •wide heavy frying pan, 28cm
• •wire rack for draining

Instructions

1. 1

   Salt the courgette

   Put the grated courgette in a colander, toss with the salt, and leave it over a bowl for 20 minutes. It will look as if nothing dramatic is happening, then the water begins to collect underneath. That water is what would break the fritters apart.

2. 2

   Squeeze it dry

   Tip the courgette into a clean kitchen towel and twist hard over the sink until no more liquid runs out. Be a little merciless. You should be left with a tight, dry handful of green shreds, not a wet mound.

   If the courgette still feels slippery and wet, squeeze again. Flour can absorb a little moisture, but it can't rescue a watery batter without making the fritters heavy.
3. 3

   Mix the batter

   In a wide bowl, combine the squeezed courgette, feta, spring onions, red onion, dill, mint, eggs, flour, baking powder, and black pepper. Fold gently until the mixture holds together when pressed on a spoon. It should be soft but not pourable.

4. 4

   Rest the bowl

   Let the batter rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes while you set up the pan. This gives the flour time to take in the last moisture and makes the spoonfuls easier to shape.

5. 5

   Heat the oil

   Pour olive oil into a wide frying pan to a depth of about 1cm and set it over medium-high heat. Drop in a tiny bit of batter; it should sizzle at once and rise with small bubbles around it. If it browns too fast, lower the heat.

6. 6

   Fry in batches

   Spoon heaped tablespoons of batter into the oil, flattening each one lightly. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp at the edges. Don't crowd the pan, or the oil cools and the fritters drink it.

7. 7

   Drain and serve

   Lift the kolokythokeftedes onto a rack or paper-lined tray and salt lightly while hot if needed. Serve warm, not scorching, with lemon wedges and thick yogurt or tzatziki. The inside should be tender, herby, and white-flecked with feta.

Chef Tips

• •Choose small, firm courgettes with glossy skin. Large courgettes have watery middles and tired seeds, and no clever method makes them taste like summer.
• •If the batter loosens as it sits, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Stop as soon as it holds. You want courgette fritters, not little fried breads.
• •Kolokythokeftedes are best eaten the same day, warm from the pan. Leftovers can be reheated in a hot oven until the edges wake up again, but the first plate is the true one.
• •For a nistisimo table, leave out the feta and eggs and bind the squeezed courgette with a little more flour and a spoon of soaked ground flaxseed. It is a fasting version, not the Cycladic cheese one, and it has its own honesty.

Advance Preparation

• •Grate, salt, and squeeze the courgette up to 4 hours ahead; keep it covered in the refrigerator.
• •The batter can rest for up to 1 hour before frying. Longer than that, the herbs darken and the courgette starts giving up water again.
• •Fry just before serving. These are meze for the table, not a dish that improves by waiting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 170g)