500g (about 2-3) courgettes
1/2-1 tsp salt
2 spring onions, split lengthwise and sliced thin
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
60g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Olive or another oil of your choice, for frying
To serve (optional)
250ml sour cream or plain yogurt
1 to 2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
Pinches of salt
1 small minced or crushed clove of garlic
Preheat oven to 100°C. Have an oven sheet ready.
Trim ends off courgettes and grate them either on the large holes of a box grater or, if you have one, using the shredding blade of a food processor.
In a large bowl, toss courgettes with salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Wring out the courgettes in one of the following ways: pressing it against the holes of a colander with a wooden spoon to extract the water, squeezing out small handfuls at a time, or wrapping it up in a clean dishtowel or piece of cheese cloth and wringing away. You’ll be shocked by the amount of liquid you’ll lose, but this is a good thing as it will save the fritters from sogginess.
Return deflated mass of courgette shreds to bowl. Taste and if you think it could benefit from more salt (most rinses down the drain), add a little bit more. Stir in spring onions, egg and some freshly ground black pepper. In a tiny dish, stir together flour and baking powder, then stir the mixture into the courgette batter.
In a large heavy frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Drop small bunches of the courgette mixture onto the skillet only a few at a time so they don’t become crowded and lightly nudge them flatter with the back of your spatula. Cook the fritters over moderately high heat until the edges underneath are golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. If you find this happening too quickly, reduce the heat to medium. Flip the fritters and fry them on the other side until browned underneath again, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Drain briefly on paper towels then transfer to baking sheet and then into the warm oven until needed. Repeat process, keeping the pan well-oiled, with remaining batter. I like to make sure that the fritters have at least 10 minutes in the oven to finish setting and getting extra crisp.
For the topping, if using, stir together the sour cream, lemon juice, zest, salt and garlic and adjust the flavors to your taste. Dollop on each fritter before serving. These fritters are also delicious with a poached or fried egg on top.
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