Weekend Cookbook Challenge #11: Zucchini-Feta Fritters

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This month’s Weekend Cookbook Challenge, (which I almost forgot about — oops!), is all about party food. So, to accomplish this, I turned to a book all about parties, entertaining and proper hostessing — I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, by Amy Sedaris. It’s very funny, kitschy, deadpan in tone and is sprinkled with hilarious photos of Amy and (quite honestly) some very unappetizing food photos. Ah, so what? I love this book. There’s also some handy and practical advice for entertaining:

A good trick is to fill your medicine cabinet with marbles. Nothing announces a nosy guest better than an avalanche of marbles hitting a porcelain sink.

or

Have toilet paper.

Genius!

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While looking through the book I was tempted to make a cheese ball (one of her “famous cheese balls”), but figured another stick of butter is one of the last things jwa and I need right now. Instead, a recipe in the book submitted by Paul Dinello caught my eye. Paul’s Zucchini Fritters. The suggestion for serving these is at a “grieving party” but I say they just make a tasty breakfast, dinner snack or happy party snack! No one has to die!

The original recipe also included no measurements. Apparently Paul finds cooking without specific measurements, “exciting.” Huh. Okay. So, I’ve listed the measurements below that I used when making these. Help yourself. For the more adventurous, disregard those and just wing it like Paul. Oh and I added the mint and red pepper flakes and halved the amount of onion in my version. I just couldn’t help myself from making a couple of tiny changes, that is my way.

For a party, I’d make little fritters to serve as finger food. To make a meal of fritters, form larger patties, as I did, and serve three to a plate. The below amounts will serve about 3-4 as a meal. On the side, I whipped up some plain yogurt with garlic, tomato and cucumber. Excellent.

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Paul’s Zucchini Fritters
2 medium zucchinis
2 cloves garlic, sliced or minced
1/2 a white onion, diced
8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 eggs
6-8 tbsp flour
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh mint, chopped
Dash of red pepper flakes

Grate the zucchini. It’s important to get as much water out of the shredded vegetable as possible. It helps to salt it and then place a heavy lid on top it and press down. You can also wrap the grated zucchini in a tea towel and squeeze until you can’t squeeze anymore. Paul says, “When you think you’ve got all the water out keep pressing, because I can tell you, you haven’t.” He’s right about that.

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In another bowl mix six tablespoons of the flour, eggs, onion, garlic, parsley, mint and feta. Combine with the zucchini and some salt and pepper. Add more flour if it seems too liquidy. Oh and don’t forget the red pepper flakes.

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Coat the bottom of a hot frying pan in olive oil. For best results, make sure your pan is good and hot before adding fritters. Scoop a fist full of mixture from the bowl and shape into a small patty and place in skillet.

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Let cook about 4 minutes on each side for larger fritters, 2 minutes per side for smaller ones.

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I made medium-sized fritters and I got about 10 from this recipe, but if you made them slightly smaller (and depending on the size of your zucchinis), you could probably get 12. I’ve also doubled the original recipe (which said you could get 20-40 fritters from one zucchini) but I’m not really sure how that’s possible. They would have to be pretty damn tiny fritters.

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I took two leftover ones today to work for breakfast and ate them cold. Wow. Still so very good. I think I’m going to definitely make these again. Thanks (as always) to Sara for hosting!

9 Replies to “Weekend Cookbook Challenge #11: Zucchini-Feta Fritters”

  1. Thanks, Sara! This is one of my favorite food events! I always enjoy participating 🙂
    Oh and you really need to get this book. It’s so funny. And all the pics of her in different “scenes”. So awesome.

  2. These look very tasty! I’ve heard of this book so often. I was asked, not too long ago, if I had purchased it yet and my response was, “Who the hell is Amy Sedaris?” AND THEN I was surfing for something or other a few days ago (prolly a recipe of some sort) and came upon a site featuring this book and some background on Amy – come to find out she’s Jerri from Stangers with Candy!! I loved that show! “Good times.. good times..” haha
    Anyhoo.. just hadda tell someone – I’ve been keeping in my excitement for a while now. Mmm hmm…

  3. Love your writing, love your gorgeous photos and couldn’t agree more…no one should have to die to taste these delicious treats.
    Thanks for sharing – I’m definitely coming back to visit you!

  4. I made these tonight and they were great! My only recommendation would be to use less garlic and onion if you do not cook with both often. About half the amount would be good because i personally thought they were too potent to eat more than a couple.
    Great with sour cream!

  5. Hi! I stumbled across this on a search for Paul Dinello. I’ve been wanting to try making these for a while cause they sound delish, but Paul’s non-recipe recipe approach kinda scared me since I don’t really cook. I think I’ll take your version because it makes me feel more confident haha 🙂 I just love I Like You, I’m glad that people seem to be embracing it!

  6. First time commenter. Found your through I Love To Cook. Love this recipe. It was a staple growing up. I also have the Amy Sedaris book, but on tape.

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