Greek Zucchini Fritters with Feta and Dill

 

Also known as Kolokithokeftedes, Greek Zucchini Fritters are a popular Greek meze, and when topped with a dollop of thick and creamy tzatziki, are a wonderfully delicious appetizer or side dish. These Zucchini Fritters with Feta and Dill are incredibly easy to make but the key is to squeeze out as much water as possible from the grated zucchini so that they produce a good crisp crust. Simply grate them, wrap them in paper towel and let it do the work of pulling out the extra moisture. Give the grated zucchini one final squeeze, mix it with the fresh dill, mint, feta, chopped green onions, lemon zest, ground cumin, beaten egg and bind with flour and panko crumbs, then simply spoon into small patties and pan fry. It's that easy. The zingy combination of feta, fresh dill and mint make these fritters amazingly addictive, so better to make more than you think you'll need, for they'll be gone in no time.

Greek Zucchini Fritters with Feta and Dill

Makes 8-10 fritters

2 medium zucchini


1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled


4 green onions, green and white parts, finely sliced


3 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped


1/2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped


Grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 large egg
, beaten

1/2 cup flour


4 tbsp Panko bread crumbs


1 tsp salt


1/4 cup vegetable oil, for frying

3 cups tzatziki sauce

Wash the zucchini. With the skins on, grate them using the coarse side of a grater, then using your hands, squeeze out as much water as possible. Follow by placing the grated zucchini in a dry tea towel and press out as much water as you can. The towel will become very wet. Transfer to another tea towel and wrapping tightly, press down to release more water then leave for an hour. 

Place the grated zucchini in a bowl with the dill, mint, lemon zest, cumin, feta and green onions and mix well with a fork. Stir in the lightly beaten egg then add the flour and panko. The mixture needs to bind, so a little more flour may be needed depending on how much liquid was squeezed out of the zucchini. 

Pour enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a large non-stick pan, and set on medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, spoon dollops of zucchini mixture into small patties and cook until nicely brown and golden, about 3-4 minutes for side, then remove the fritters and place on paper towel to remove some of the excess oil. To serve, arrange the fritters on a warm pate and garnish with a sprinkle of dill and a curl or two of lemon zest. Serve warm with tzatziki sauce at the side.