Fritters are a firm favorite in cuisines around the world. Eaten sweet or savory, these delicious fried cakes can be enjoyed as a dessert, starter or main meal. And fritters provide the perfect excuse for turning left over vegetables into a meal which the whole family can enjoy.

While zucchinis may not be the obvious contender as a fritter ingredient, they make a surprisingly appetizing addition to the basic fritter recipe.


Zucchinis are one of the most versatile vegetables around. This may be because cooks and chefs through the years have had to find ways of making them palatable. Zucchinis eaten alone tend to be rather watery with a slightly bitter taste. But they are virtually fat free and are a useful source of vitamins C and K, B6 and folate. And due to their high water content they’re exceptionally low in calories.

This recipe for zucchini fritters makes use of fresh bread crumbs rather than flour, resulting in a lighter fritter. The amounts given here will make enough batter for twelve fritters and you should allow yourself at least half an hour for preparation and 15 minutes for cooking.

Ingredients:

1 lb zucchinis
1 mild red chili (or 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
3 medium eggs (beaten)
5 ounces fresh white breadcrumbs
Small bunch of basil
Oil for frying

Method:

Start off by coarsely grating the zucchinis into a large mixing bowl, then set aside while you chop the basil and chili (if you're using it) and crush the garlic. To make the breadcrumbs, place around 5 slices of bread into a blender, and whiz for 30 seconds until you’re left with fine breadcrumbs.

Now it's time to squeeze out as much liquid from the zucchinis as possible. Too much remaining liquid can result in your fritters sticking to the pan during cooking. There are various methods for removing the liquid. One option involves grabbing fistfuls of grated zucchini and squeezing the liquid out with your hands.

An alternative way is to place all the grated zucchini into a clean tea towel, fold it over and twist the ends, squeezing as tightly as possible, forcing the excess water through the towel. Once that’s done, press the zucchini mixture between sheets of absorbent kitchen paper, soaking up any left-over liquid. You’ll probably need to do this a couple of times until the mixture feels quite dry.

Once that’s done, mix the grated zucchinis with your prepared chili (or chili sauce), garlic and basil, then add the three beaten eggs and the breadcrumbs. Leave the mixture to soak for a few minutes, during which time it will become quite thick.

In the meantime, heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan, while not allowing it to become too hot. Place 2-3 heaped teaspoons of the mixture into the hot oil and press each fritter down with a spoon or fork to flatten them so they cook evenly. Leave them to cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. When each batch is done, place them onto absorbent kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil.

Serve your zucchini fritters as a starter or a main course and they can be eaten either hot or cold. They also make a perfect light lunch when served with a green salad with a little sweet chili sauce drizzled over the top. Although zucchini fritters may take a little preparation time, the end result is more than worth the effort. And if you ever needed convincing that zucchinis could taste so moreish, you’ll be left in no doubt after the first bite.