By: Adapted from Aytekin Yar’s recipe in The New York Times.
Turkish people know how to cook vegetables like no one else, and these incredible zucchini fritters are no exception. Served with an easy salad of sliced tomatoes drizzled in olive oil, this is a perfect summer meal.
Time: Preparation 30 mins
Serving: 12 Servings
Ingredients
- 0.666667 c yogurt
- 2 clv garlic
- salt
- 3 zucchini
- black pepper
- 3 eggs
- 0.5 c flour
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 c crumbled feta
- 3 scallions
- 0.333333 c dill
- 1 t baking powder
- 4 T vegetable oil
Preparation
Preheat oven to 250˚F.
In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, crushed garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
Mix the shredded zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and place in a colander over the sink or a bowl. Let drain for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cloth kitchen towel, and squeeze hard to extract as much moisture as possible. Squeeze again. The volume will be about half of what you started with.
Combine the zucchini and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, olive oil, feta, scallions, dill, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Mix well to incorporate. Mix in the baking powder.
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Scoop the zucchini batter into the skillet (each pancake should be a heaping tablespoon or so), leaving several inches between each pancake. Each one should be about 3/8-inch-thick – flatten with a spatula if necessary. Fry until the underside is golden, then flip and fry the other side, about 2 1/2-3 minutes on each side, until crisp and deep golden. As they cook, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.
Serve the zucchini pancakes hot, at room temperature, or cold (they’re as delicious the next day), with dollops of garlic yogurt.
