makes 4 to 6 meze servings
Greek vegetable fritters, or pseftokeftedes, as they are sometimes called, are one of the great gifts from the Greek table to vegetable lovers the world over. All over the country, seasonal vegetable patties and fritters are part of the culinary tradition, a way to take simple, accessible, inexpensive, healthy ingredients and transform them into something delectable. All sorts of greens, tomatoes, onions, leeks, squashes, and beans are turned into crispy fritters. Most can be either baked or fried. These carrot keftedes are something I whipped up for Committee, the meze restaurant in Boston I’ve been working with for several years.
4 cups (440 g) coarsely shredded carrots (6 to 8 medium carrots)
1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
½ cup (25 g) finely chopped fresh fennel fronds or dill
½ cup (25 g) finely chopped fresh parsley
2 heaping tablespoons dried mint
⅔ cup (100 g) crumbled soft Greek feta
¼ cup (25 g) grated graviera cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large egg, lightly beaten
⅓ cup (35 g) plain dried bread crumbs
½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
Tzatziki or plain Greek yogurt, for serving
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine all the ingredients except the tzatziki in a large bowl and knead by hand until firm and a bit sticky. Shape into 1½-inch (4 cm) patties. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once.
Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, with a bowl of tzatziki or plain yogurt on the side.