Greek Courgette Fritters With Tzatziki Food

GREEK-STYLE COURGETTE FRITTERS WITH TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Top and tail the courgettes, then slice them, diagonally, into 6-7mm thick slices. Toss in a bowl with a little salt, spread out on kitchen paper, then leave to drain for about 30 minutes. Sift the flour and the ½ tsp salt into a bowl, make a well in the centre, then add the 5 tbsp olive oil with 150ml cold water. Gradually beat together to make a smooth batter. Leave to rest.
• For the tzatziki, peel and discard half the cucumber skin in strips, leaving the rest. Coarsely grate the cucumber. Scoop up small handfuls and squeeze out most of the excess liquid. Tip the yogurt into a bowl and stir in the grated cucumber, garlic, spring onions, dill or mint, olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into a serving bowl and garnish with a little extra chopped dill or mint.
• Pat the courgette slices dry with kitchen paper. Heat some oil for deep-frying to 190°C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 20 seconds). This can be in a thermostatic fryer, deep saucepan or sauté pan.
• Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until they form soft peaks, then carefully fold them into the batter. Dip the courgette slices a few at a time into the batter, add them to the hot oil and deep-fry for 2 minutes until crisp and golden. Drain briefly on kitchen paper, sprinkle lightly with a little more salt if you wish, and serve with the tzatziki while they're hot and crisp.

FRIED COURGETTES

Steps:

• Heat up the oil in a deep pot.
• Slice the courgettes, coat in the flour, salt and pepper mix.
• Dust for excess flour and place them straight into your pot. Cook for a couple of minutes until golden.
• Rest on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil. To be enjoyed immediately!

GREEK COURGETTE FRITTERS WITH TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Make Tzatziki: Squeeze excess moisture from cucumber. In a small bowl, mix yogurt, garlic, cucumber and vinegar. Stir in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Make Fritters: Lay out a layer of paper towels and spread out grated courgette. Sprinkle courgette with salt and let sit for at least thirty minutes and up to an hour. Squeeze out all excess moisture from courgette.
• Put drained courgette in a large bowl with dill, spring onions, nutmeg, and feta. Mix to combine. Stir in eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in flour until dough comes together, adding slightly more flour if dough is too wet to form patties. Form dough into 3-4 inch patties.
• Heat olive oil in a large fryng pan over medium high heat. Fry patties until golden brown on both sides and cooked through but still moist, about 2-3 minutes per side. Serve hot with tzatziki alongside.

GREEK COURGETTE FRITTERS WITH TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Squeeze excess moisture from cucumber. In a small bowl, mix yogurt, garlic, cucumber and vinegar. Stir in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Lay out a layer of paper towels and spread out grated courgette. Sprinkle courgette with salt and let sit for at least thirty minutes and up to an hour. Squeeze out all excess moisture from courgette.
• In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and cornmeal or polenta or breadcrumbs (alternatively use extra flour) until well combined, then stir in the courgettes.
• Trim and finely chop both the white and green parts of the spring onions, and stir into the fritter mix. Add the beaten eggs, and finish with
• Finely chop the herbs and crumble the feta, if using, then add both to the courgette mix. Add a good grating of nutmeg and some pepper. There should be no need for salt if feta is used.
• Form dough into 3-4 inch patties. Add a little more flour if the dough is too wet.
• Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Fry a small dollop of the batter and taste to see if more salt is needed. Fry patties until golden brown on both sides and cooked through but still moist, about 2-3 minutes per side.
• Serve hot with tzatziki.

KOLOKYTHAKIA TIGANITA - GREEK BATTERED FRIED ZUCCHINI / COURGETT

Steps:

• Prepare zucchini: Cut zucchini slices in half if they are long. Slices measuring about 3 inches long work best.
• Put slices in a bowl, salt, and let sit 20 minutes. Pour off liquid before putting in batter.
• Make the batter: Pour the soda into a bowl, and stir in flour and salt slowly, using a whisk or fork to mix.
• Fry: Bring oil to high heat.Coat zucchini in the batter, use a fork to place pieces in oil and fry 5-6 minutes, until golden on both sides and batter puffs up. Drain on absorbent paper toweling just long enough to remove excess oil.
• Serve hot. (Serves 4 as a side dish, 6-8 as an appetizer/meze.).

CRISPY ZUCCHINI FRITTERS WITH GREEK YOGURT SAUCE (TZATZIKI)

Steps:

• For the fritters:
• Grate the zucchini and place it in a colander, over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze out moisture and pat dry with paper towels.
• Place the grated zucchini in a bowl and add the green and yellow onions, dill, parsley, cheese, flour, eggs, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
• Pour oil into a sauté pan to a depth of ¼ of an inch. When oil is hot, drop the mixture by the tablespoon into the pan, pat it down gently with the back of the spoon and fry for 2 minutes on one side then 3 minutes on the other or until golden brown.
• Transfer the fritters to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
• Keep warm until ready to serve.
• For the tzatziki:
• Peel the cucumber, seed it and grate it. Place it in a colander, sprinkle with some salt and let it sit for half an hour. Squeeze the water out by pressing it between the palms of your hands. Place the grated cucumber in a medium bowl.
• Mince the garlic cloves and the fresh dill and add it to the bowl.
• Add the rest of the ingredients, season with salt, mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least a couple of hours.
• Before serving, mix again, drizzle with some extra olive oil, place a Kalamata olive in the middle and serve with wedges of toasted Greek pita bread, or with zucchini fritters.