Flourless Zucchini Fritters

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather everything you need. Use small zucchini — young ones are best, since you won't have to peel them. Kefir of any fat percentage works. Use large, fresh eggs (grade A or AA); eggs like these usually have a bright orange yolk, which gives your fritters a lovely golden color. Quick-cooking rolled oats are ideal here, since they barely cook on their own and finish cooking right inside the fritters.

2. Step 2:

   

   Peel the zucchini if needed: for older zucchini, thinly pare off the skin and scoop out the seeds. Cut it up roughly and drop it into a blender or food processor.

3. Step 3:

   

   Pour in the kefir. You can easily swap it for any other cultured dairy: buttermilk, sour cream, ryazhenka (fermented baked milk), and so on.

4. Step 4:

   

   Add a clove of garlic. At this point you can also toss in some fresh herbs you like: dill, cilantro, basil, or green onion.

5. Step 5:

   

   Blend everything into a smooth mixture.

6. Step 6:

   

   Wash the egg well — it's best to do this carefully with a bit of dish soap and a brush, since eggshells carry a lot of bacteria. Crack the egg into the zucchini mixture.

7. Step 7:

   

   Add the oats.

8. Step 8:

   

   Add salt. At this point you can also stir in your favorite dried seasonings — maybe herbes de Provence, thyme or rosemary, ground paprika, or a little chili.

9. Step 9:

   

   Stir the mixture and let it rest for about 10 minutes so the oats swell and the batter thickens.

10. Step 10:

    

    Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet. Any neutral oil works — olive or sunflower — but since we're frying, it must be a refined oil. Spoon in the zucchini batter, shaping round fritters. Fry over low heat for about 5 minutes.

11. Step 11:

    

    Then carefully flip the fritters and fry the other side for about the same amount of time.

12. Step 12:

    

    Serve the fritters with fresh seasonal herbs. I served mine with tomato sauce. Enjoy!