Zucchini Fritters (Ejjeh Koossa)
February 24, 2009 • Category: Mezze/Appetizers
This is an absolutely scrumptious dish. We usually ate it the day after having the koossa mehche (stuffed zucchini in meat) as it is made with the pulp collected after coring the zucchini for koossa. It is eaten at room temperature stuffed in pita for a quick lunch or as an appetizer before dinner as part of a mezze. The zucchini pulp imparts a delicate flavor that will be liked by everyone and it is a unique way to eat the vegetable, as well as a complete meal when served with a salad.
INGREDIENTS:
Zucchini pulp cored previously for koossa, about 8oz. (OR use 2 large zucchini, shredded)
6 Large eggs
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon of toom (see post) or 3 garlic cloves mashed with a bit of salt
1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
3 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour or substitute breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 cup of olive oil or enough to pan fry the fritters
METHOD:
2 steps are required and they can be done at different times:
1. Saute chopped onion in a bit of olive oil till onion is translucent. Add the zucchini pulp and about 1/4 cup of water. Cook on medium heat till all the water has evaporated. Add the mashed garlic. Stir to mix it all well. Set it aside. The mixture should be moist but not wet.
2. Mix the eggs, flour, baking powder, and all the spices ending with the minced parsley in a bowl. Add the zucchini pulp mixture and mix again well. Heat some oil on the stove (about one cup at a time, to be drained and replaced by a fresh cup of oil if the oil becomes brown). Drop 2 large tablespoons of batter and cook for 2 minutes on each side.Continue until all the batter is used up, stacking the fritters on a plate lined with several paper towels to absorb the extra oil.
Serve at room temperature, with bread on the side and (or) a salad to make up a light meal. Quantity will feed 4 people
NOTE:
You can also make this dish with the zucchini (whole), by cutting it in slices and cooking them in water with the onion. When cooked, mash the zucchini and add to the egg mixture after a few while when it is sufficiently cool. You can also add a bit of chopped green pepper or a chile to the mixture.
Comments
9 Comments • Comments Feed
Ani says:
Love my mom’s version so similar.
On April 7, 2011 at 7:34 pm
Dana says:
Fantastic!! Joumana, may I ask where you found the corer? I’m wondering if they are readily available in North America and I’m just not looking in the right spots or if I need to have one sent to me from Lebanon? 🙂
On April 21, 2011 at 9:00 pm
Joumana says:
@ Dana: You can find the corer in all Middle-Eastern stores; or you can find an apple corer in a regular kitchen supply store all over North America (they are shorter but will do). 🙂
On April 21, 2011 at 9:27 pm
Dana says:
Thanks so much!! I’ll look a little harder next time I’m in the city! 🙂
On April 21, 2011 at 11:23 pm
Margaret says:
HAVE to try this one. Love Zucchini and always have TONS of them from the garden.
On April 21, 2011 at 11:34 pm
Rajani@eatwritethink says:
looks delicuos – am gonna try this. always wanted to make fritters with zuchinni but end up making something else!
On April 21, 2011 at 11:56 pm
Annalisota says:
These were delish! Thank you for the recipe 🙂
On October 15, 2011 at 7:07 am