Second only to deep-frying, the best place for zucchini is inside fritters. I say this because if I hadn’t been dared to taste a piece of deep-fried zucchini a few years back, causing me to fall head over heels in love after hating it’s guts my entire life, I wouldn’t be sharing any zucchini recipes.
Fritters, cupcakes, fries, cornbread, etc. . .Nada.
That means I wouldn’t be eating as much zucchini as I possibly can stuff into my days. Sad.
August should officially be declared zucchini month in my neck of the woods when it sprouts out of every corner of the garden and is piled up to the rafters in any store you venture into. Good times.
When they see me coming with my empty cart I think they do a little happy dance because somehow they know I always bring home more of them then a sane human being would and love the heck out of them by cooking them in all kinds of delicious ways.
A meal with zucchini in it makes me just as happy as dessert. I’m so weird like that.
Anywho. . . these fritters are Italian-inspired (thank-you Mario Batali) with ricotta cheese, garlic, scallions, Parmesan and lemon to flavor them up.
They’re pan fried in olive oil to give them crispy outsides and creamy middles, the hallmarks of any good fritter, with a lemony sour cream sauce for serving.
Best of all, you don’t have to squeeze the water out of the zucchini. The flour and Parmesan will soak up any excess and it will blend itself right into the batter.
The next time you pass by a stack of zucchini don’t keep on going. Stop and bring home a few to make fritters. Even your zucchini hating family will like them because who hates fritters?
That’s crazy talk.
ZUCCHINI RICOTTA FRITTERS
Golden, crispy fritters with zucchini, ricotta cheese, garlic, scallions, Parmesan cheese and lemon. They're pan fried in olive oil and served with a lemony sour cream sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini (4 - 5 cups), coarsely shredded on the large holes of a box grater
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, just the yellow not the white part
- coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- olive or vegetable oil, for frying
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 1 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
In a large bowl mix the zucchini, garlic, scallions, ricotta, eggs, lemon zest and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper together.
Add the flour and Parmesan, stir just until incorporated.
In a large frying pan over medium, heat enough oil to generously cover the bottom of the pan.
Add 2-tablespoons of the zucchini batter to the hot oil and spread it out/pat it down to make 3-inch fritters. Work in batches, cooking as many as will fit in the pan with an inch or two between them.
Cook until browned and crisp, turning once, 2 - 3 minutes a side.
Drain on paper towels and serve warm with sour cream sauce.
To make the sauce whisk the sour cream, mayo and lemon juice together, starting with 1 tablespoon and adding more to taste.
