Kabak Mücver (Turkish Zucchini and Feta Fritters)

Ingredients

• 700 g zucchini, coarsely grated
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 spring onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 150 g feta, crumbled
• 3 egg, beaten
• 90 g wheat flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 200 g Greek yogurt
• 1 garlic, crushed
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Method

1. 1.

   Salt the grated zucchini — Grate the zucchini on the coarse side of a box grater straight into a colander, toss it with the salt and leave it over the sink for 15 minutes. A surprising amount of water runs out on its own.

2. 2.

   Wring it bone dry — Tip the zucchini into the middle of a clean tea towel, gather it into a bundle and wring it out hard over the sink. Squeeze until nothing more comes, then squeeze again — this one step decides whether you get crisp fritters or soggy ones.

3. 3.

   Mix and rest the batter — Put the squeezed zucchini in a bowl with the spring onions, dill, parsley, feta, beaten eggs, flour, baking powder and black pepper, and fold together with a fork until just combined. Let the batter stand for 10 minutes so the flour hydrates; it should sit in a heaped spoon without running.

4. 4.

   Fry the fritters — Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Drop in heaped tablespoons of batter and flatten each to about 8 cm across, frying 3 minutes a side until deep gold and lacy where the edges have caught. Work in batches, adding oil as you go, and drain on a wire rack rather than paper so the undersides stay crisp.

5. 5.

   Whisk the garlic yogurt — Stir the Greek yogurt with the crushed garlic and a pinch of salt. Pile the fritters on a warm plate and serve hot or at room temperature, with the garlic yogurt for dipping and lemon wedges to squeeze over.