Turkish zucchini fritters with garlic yoghurt

Name: Turkish zucchini fritters with garlic yoghurt
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: about 24 fritters
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 2 tsp sea salt; 1.2kg zucchini, coarsely grated; 1 cup thick Greek-style yoghurt; 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest; 1 small clove garlic, chopped; small pinch of sea salt; 200g haloumi cheese, finely grated; 1/4 bunch dill, chopped; freshly ground pepper; 100g day-old white breadcrumbs; 2 free-range eggs, lightly whisked; 1 cup olive oil, for frying

Neil Perry

September 28, 2015

A main? A starter? A side dish? You decide.William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsMakes:about 24 fritters

Pair these fritters with a crunchy, flavour-packed salad and you won't need a main course. They also make great finger food for a party or picnic. For variety, swap the haloumi in the fritters with feta and add paprika or chilli flakes for a kick.

Ingredients

2 tsp sea salt
1.2kg zucchini, coarsely grated
1 cup thick Greek-style yoghurt
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 small clove garlic, chopped
small pinch of sea salt
200g haloumi cheese, finely grated
1/4 bunch dill, chopped
freshly ground pepper
100g day-old white breadcrumbs
2 free-range eggs, lightly whisked
1 cup olive oil, for frying

Method

TOSS SALT through zucchini and place in a sieve with a bowl underneath. Leave to drain for an hour. Place yoghurt and lemon zest in a bowl. Pound garlic and salt in a mortar with a pestle until a paste forms. Add this to the yoghurt then stir through. Reserve.
SQUEEZE EXCESS MOISTURE from zucchini and place in a large bowl (you should have about 750g left). Add grated haloumi, dill, pepper, breadcrumbs and egg. Stir to combine; mixture should be dry enough to handle. Do not leave to sit for an extended time as more liquid may leech from the zucchini, making the mixture more difficult to handle (fry as soon as you've made the mixture).
DIVIDE MIX into amounts a bit bigger than a golf ball and form into patties.
HEAT OIL in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Shallow fry for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and heated through. Serve fritters on a platter with lemon and garlic yoghurt.
Serve with Neil Perry's soft-boiled egg and beetroot salad.
Photography William Meppem, Jennifer Soo Styling Hannah Meppem Food preparation Nick Banbury