Fried Zucchini Fritters

My colleagues and I have a pretty great dynamic. As a team we work really well together, which is surprising considering we are stuck in a little dingy room with ants crawling under our desks, and the occasional mouse. To make things worse, there are no windows in our office and the neo-florescent lights leave your eyes burning and fatigued by the end of your shift. I will put this subject to rest as we are moving to a new and improved building next week, ant free. This move was definitely a call for celebration which inherently led to a group Pot Luck.

With the dessert and meat dishes covered, I decided a veggie piece was in need. I have wanted to attempt zucchini balls for a while now and saw this as the perfect opportunity. Do not be fooled by the veggie content, as these little deep fried balls of zucchini are nowhere near low-fat/healthy (stuffed with parmesan and old cheddar as well as fried in canola oil), but they are seriously mouth-watering good. The zucchini and carrots add a solid meaty flavor to the mix which is perfectly complimented by the strong cheesy tastes. You seem to magically forget that these scrumptious two-bite size fritters are deep fried as you load them up with a second spoonful of Tzatziki. Needless to say, I went home with an empty Tupperware and quite a few recipe requests! Quelle Surprise ;)

Xo Dom Appetit!

PS. These are extremely easy to make but are a bit time consuming! So clear your schedule and get really to impress…

Fried Zucchini Fritters

(adapted from: More Than Burnt Toast Blog)

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 15 mins

Tools Needed: cutting board, food processor, medium mixing bowl, large mixing bowl, deep frying pan, knife, measuring cup and spoons, cheese grater,

Ingredients:

1 carrot

1 medium onion

3 green onions

Bunch of dill and parsley

1 cup of old cheddar

¼ cup of parm

½ teaspoon of pepper and salt

1 teaspoon of baking powder

4 tablespoons of flour

4 table spoons of bread crumbs

1 egg

6 zuchinis

Salt and Pepper

1 cup of crushed corn flakes (optional)

Canola Oil for frying

Directions:

1)      Wash veggies (zucchini, carrot, onion) and grate or use food processor, put grated veggies with a pinch of salt in colander over sink to drain excess water content (30 mins). Squeeze occasionally; see how much water is released. Grate cheese while veggies are draining, and chop up remaining ingredients.

2)      Move veggies over into large mixing bowl and add parm, old cheddar, egg, dill, parsley, green onions, pinch of salt and pepper, flour and baking powder. Mix all ingredients together with your hands. You are looking for a consistency that sticks together, not too wet. Add more flour if needed.

3)      Put deep pan over heat with canola oil. Once well mixed spoon into small rounded patties over floured surface and drop into hot oil (make sure there is enough oil to cover the sides of the fritters). OPTIONAL: roll patties in crushed corn flakes and then drop into oil (this adds an extra crunch and flavor!) These fry fast, so keep an eye on them! Cook till browned on each side. Remove and lay on a paper toweled plates. Serve with a side of Tzatziki J