These crisp-edged carrot and courgette fritters use a small harvest without needing a large batch of ingredients. Removing moisture from the grated vegetables is the key to fritters that hold together and brown instead of steaming.
Ingredients
- 2 medium, peeled Carrots
- 1 medium Courgette
- 1 large Egg
- 3 tbsp Plain flour
- 1 tbsp, chopped Fresh herbs
- 2 tbsp, for frying Olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Fine salt
- 1/8 tsp Black pepper
- 100g, to serve (optional) Natural yoghurt (optional)
- 1/2, to serve (optional) Lemon (optional)
- 1 tbsp, chopped, to serve (optional) Mint (optional)
Equipment
Coarse grater · Clean tea towel · Mixing bowl · Non-stick frying pan
Method
- Coarsely grate the carrots and courgette. Toss with half the salt and leave for 5 minutes, then gather in a clean tea towel and squeeze firmly over the sink until little liquid comes out.
- Beat the egg in a bowl. Add the squeezed vegetables, flour, chopped herbs, remaining salt and pepper. Mix until the flour is absorbed and the mixture holds together when pressed. If it seems loose, add another teaspoon of flour.
- Stir the optional yoghurt, lemon juice and mint together in a small bowl. Set aside while the fritters cook.
- Heat a thin film of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add heaped tablespoons of mixture, flattening each to about 1 cm thick; leave space between them and cook in batches.
- Cook for 3–4 minutes until the underside is deep golden and the edges look set. Turn carefully and cook for 3–4 minutes more. Lower the heat if the outside browns before the centre is cooked. Drain briefly on kitchen paper and serve hot with the yoghurt dip.
Allotment tip
The grated vegetables should feel damp, not wet. Crowding the pan lowers its temperature and softens the crust, so cook in batches.
Serving suggestions
Serve with the optional lemon-mint yoghurt, a tomato salad or tucked into flatbread with salad leaves.
Seasonal allotment note
A useful summer recipe when courgettes are being picked regularly; young, firm courgettes have fewer watery seeds.
Ingredient swaps
Use courgette alone or replace some carrot with finely grated potato, squeezed dry. For a gluten-free version, use a plain gluten-free flour blend. The recipe remains vegetarian because it contains egg and may contain dairy in the optional dip.
Allergens: Eggs Gluten (plain flour) Milk (optional yoghurt)
Storing leftovers
Best eaten straight away. Refrigerate leftovers within 1–2 hours and use within 48 hours; reheat once in a 190°C oven for 8–10 minutes until hot and crisp.