Name: Cycladic Kolokythokeftedes (Κυκλαδίτικοι Κολοκυθοκεφτέδες)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings as a meze
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 700g small firm courgettes, coarsely grated; 8g fine sea salt, for draining; 150g feta, crumbled; 2 spring onions, finely sliced; 1 small red onion, 80g, finely grated or minced; 20g fresh dill, chopped; 12g fresh mint leaves, chopped; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 90g plain flour, plus 2 tbsp more if needed; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 250ml extra virgin olive oil, for shallow frying; Lemon wedges, to serve; Thick Greek yogurt or tzatziki, to serve, optional

Question 1

How do you stop kolokythokeftedes from falling apart?

Accepted Answer

Salt 700g grated courgettes with 8g fine sea salt for 20 minutes, then twist them hard in a clean kitchen towel until no more liquid runs out. Removing that water is what lets the feta, eggs, flour, and herbs bind into crisp Cycladic kolokythokeftedes.

Question 2

How dry should grated courgette be for Greek courgette fritters?

Accepted Answer

Grated courgette for Greek courgette fritters should be squeezed into a tight, dry handful of green shreds, not left as a wet mound. After 20 minutes of salting, twist the courgette firmly in a kitchen towel until liquid stops running into the sink.

Question 3

How long do you fry kolokythokeftedes?

Accepted Answer

Fry kolokythokeftedes for 2 to 3 minutes per side in 1cm of hot extra virgin olive oil. The batter should sizzle as soon as it hits the pan, and each fritter should finish deep golden, crisp at the edges, tender inside, and flecked with feta.

Question 4

Can I make the batter for Greek courgette fritters ahead of time?

Accepted Answer

Rest the Greek courgette fritter batter in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before frying, or hold it for up to 1 hour. Longer resting makes the dill and mint darken and causes the courgette to release water again, which loosens the batter.

Question 5

What herbs go in Cycladic kolokythokeftedes?

Accepted Answer

Cycladic kolokythokeftedes use fresh dill and fresh mint for their bright summer flavor. This recipe folds 20g chopped dill and 12g chopped mint leaves into squeezed courgette with feta, spring onions, red onion, eggs, flour, baking powder, and black pepper.

Question 6

Can I make nistisimo kolokythokeftedes without feta and eggs?

Accepted Answer

Yes, make nistisimo kolokythokeftedes by leaving out the feta and eggs, then binding the squeezed courgette with extra flour and a spoon of soaked ground flaxseed. This creates a Greek fasting version with a different texture from the Cycladic cheese fritters.

Culinary Explorer

Cycladic Kolokythokeftedes (Κυκλαδίτικοι Κολοκυθοκεφτέδες)

Ingredients

small firm courgettes

fine sea salt

feta

Where cooking meets culture.

Ingredient	Quantity
small firm courgettescoarsely grated	700g
fine sea saltfor draining	8g
fetacrumbled	150g