8.16.2011

Summer Squash Fritters


I know summer produce, as much as we love it and look forward to it, can sometimes get overwhelming, so it's good to have a bunch of ideas at the ready for ways to use it up -- and use it to its full potential -- before it goes bad or loses its luster. This is one of those really simple recipes for everyone who's overloaded with summer squash and zucchini (or people like me who just can't buy enough of them at the farmers' market) and looking for creative ways to use them.

Summer Squash Fritters (adapted from Food & Wine, August 2011)

Ingredients

1 medium summer squash (about 7 ounces), ends trimmed
1 medium zucchini (about 7 ounces), ends trimmed
1 small yellow onion, ends trimmed, peeled, and halved
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 cup flour
Olive oil, for frying

Preparation

Set up food processor with shredding blade, and shred squash, zucchini, and onion. Transfer to a large bowl.


Stir in the garlic, ricotta, eggs, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Once combined, stir in the flour just until incorporated.



Line a large baking sheet with paper towels, and heat a layer of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Using a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoon-capacity), add mounds of the batter to the skillet and use the back of the cookie scoop to carefully flatten and spread the mounds.



Fry the fritters for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crisp.


Transfer fritters to paper towels to drain, and lightly sprinkle them with kosher salt if desired. Repeat with remaining batter.


The fritters are best served hot, but they can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

They can also be refrigerated once cool and then rewarmed in the toaster oven (or in the oven or microwave). I rewarmed some the next morning to enjoy with eggs.


The fritters are both crisp and creamy and full of flavor from the garlic and lemon. (I used half the amount of lemon zest originally called for and still found the lemon to be the strongest flavor.)

What are some of your favorite squash and zucchini recipes?

19 comments:

beantownbaker said...

I honestly love to eat zucchini raw. Just cut it up and snack on it. After that, grilled squash and zucchini are my favorite.

Meghan M. said...

We had zucchini pancakes with a spicy yogurt topping last night for dinner!

N Gabor said...

This just makes me smile :)

FunandFearlessinBeantown said...

I am definitely flagging this recipe! My mom has gifted us with lots of zucchini, summer squash and eggplant...and I'm worried we won't be able to eat them all!

Daisy said...

great recipe! I usually throw sauteed zucchini and squash into a simple pasta with lemon and pepper.

Michelle Talisesky said...

This looks like a great recipe to use up some of the zucchini lingering in my crisper. thanks!

Emily said...

These look incredible! I love zuchs and squash in basically anything. This recipe makes me really excited for potato latkes this fall/winter!

Erica at Inandaroundtown said...

These look delicious! We just had fritters with Kohlrabi - I need to fritter more veggies I think!

DeliciousDish said...

That's one way I don't eat it nearly enough. I keep intending to make one of those raw squash ribbon dishes.

DeliciousDish said...

I do that a lot too -- but with garlic instead of lemon!

Bianca Garcia said...

This looks delicious! I usually just use up squash and zucchini in pasta, or to make veggie quesadillas :)

Erin @ A Nesting Experience said...

These look so awesome! I must make these asap!! Yum.

Elizabeth said...

I've barely made any zucchini this summer, but one of my fave dishes is something I grew up with. Pasta topped with zucchini and garlic sauteed in olive oil then topped with parmesan. So good.

DeliciousDish said...

That's basically how I make zucchini most often -- love it!

Eliana said...

How did I miss this recipe in my Bon Appetit? They look amazingly delicious.

DeliciousDish said...

Thanks! In Bon Appetit, they are just zucchini fritters... it's a page near the front of the mag. I made some substitutions and incorporated yellow squash too.

Katie said...

That looks amazing! Zucchini is so versatile! I just got a spirooli to make zucchini noodles!!

Olga @ MangoTomato said...

my dad makes zucchini latkes and serves them with sour cream: love! But I really like the addition of ricotta. Would be good with tomato sauce.

Megan said...

I made fritters last week--they are so addictive. I love the idea of adding ricotta and lemon zest.

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