Ingredients
- Vegetable oil, to deep-fry
- Panko breadcrumbs, to coat
- Dill sprigs and lemon wedges, to serve
FRITTERS
- 400g zucchini, coarsely grated
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 100g firm feta, crumbled
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- 1 tbs finely chopped dill
- 2 tbs finely grated lemon zest
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tbs ouzo liqueur (optional)
- 25g fresh breadcrumbs
TZATZIKI
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, seeded, grated
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, seeded, cut into 1cm pieces
- 500g Greek-style yoghurt
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2½ tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbs lemon juice
Method
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To make fritters, place zucchini in a large sieve. Sprinkle with salt and toss to combine. Stand over a bowl or sink for 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, to make tzatziki, place grated cucumber in a sieve. Sprinkle with salt and toss to combine. Stand over a bowl or sink for 10 minutes. Press down to extract as much water as possible.
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Place grated cucumber in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
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Place zucchini in a piece of muslin or a clean tea towel and squeeze out excess liquid.
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Transfer zucchini to a large bowl. Add onion and garlic. Using your hands, mix well to combine. Add feta, parsley, dill and lemon zest. Season with pepper. Mix to combine. Mix in combined egg and ouzo (if using). Add breadcrumbs and mix to combine.
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Divide mixture into 8 portions. Firmly roll each portion into a compact oval.
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Fill a deep-fryer or large saucepan one-third full with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat to 180C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 10 seconds). Roll each fritter in breadcrumbs to coat. Gently drop fritters into the oil and fry for 5-6 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Lightly season with salt.
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Divide fritters among serving plates and garnish with dill. Add tzatziki and serve with lemon wedges to the side.
COOK'S TIP
For an extra rich, creamy tzatziki, strain the yoghurt before mixing. To do this, sit a muslin-lined sieve over a bowl and pour in yoghurt. Refrigerate overnight to drain.
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