Zucchini Fritters with Feta Cheese and Fresh Herbs

Back in spring my daughter planted a small garden in our backyard, a place that for years I have affectionately referred to as the “Garden of Neglect” because, not being as into gardening as I once was, I have let it go. She, on the other hand, paid attention to it, first mapping her garden out on a paper grid and ordering seeds, then pulling out tenacious weeds from the hard soil, tilling and mulching, and finally putting in kale, collards, lettuce, beets, carrots, spinach, bush beans, watermelon (!), and summer squash.

The weeds have made a comeback since she moved to Detroit a couple of weeks ago, but I’m still harvesting greens, beans, beets and squash. Lots of squash. I know people complain about too much squash in summer but I can never get enough. I’ve been putting it in soup, pasta, frittatas and risotto, as well as making zucchine alla scapece and these fritters.

A plate of these savory three-bite fritters, tender and fragrant with herbs, along with a tomato and mozzarella salad, is, to my mind, the ideal summer supper. This recipe is adapted from one by my friend, cookbook author Rosetta Costantino. Rosetta uses pecorino in her fritters, but I had feta on hand and used that instead, along with herbs that complement the sharp, briny cheese.

(What about the aforementioned watermelon, you ask? It looks like there will be at least two from the patch. They are currently about the size of a baby’s head. Hopefully they’ll survive my benign neglect. Stay tuned.)

FRITTELLE DI ZUCCHINE
Makes about 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS
230g (1/2-lb) zucchini; 1 large or 3-4 small
Sea salt
125g (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
175ml (3/4 cup) sparkling water
1 large egg
90-100g (1/3 to 1/2 cup) crumbled Greek feta cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs (I use a combination of dill, mint, parsley and basil)
Sunflower oil or a mix of sunflower and extra-virgin olive oil, for frying

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cut the ends off the zucchini and slice them lengthwise into quarters. Cut the quarters crosswise into thin wedges and put them in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss. Let stand while you prepare the batter.

2. Measure the flour and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Gradually pour in the water, whisking to prevent lumps from forming. Drop in the egg and whisk until everything is well blended. The mixture should have the same consistency as pancake batter and should fall in a ribbon when you lift some with the whisk. Add water a few drops at a time if it is too thick. Drain the zucchini and add them to the bater. Stir in the crumbled feta and herbs.

3. Heat 1/4-inch (1.2 cm) oil in a skillet until it is shimmering. To check if it’s ready, drop in a tiny droplet of batter. It should sizzle and rise to the surface immediately. Gently drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil, taking care not to crowd the pan. Fry until golden-brown on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes; turn with a fork and fry until the other side is golden-brown, another 1 to 2 minutes. With the fork or a skimmer transfer the cooked frittelle to a paper towel-lined plate. Continue to fry until you have used all the batter. You should end up with about 2 dozen frittelle. Sprinkle with salt and serve.