Zucchini Patties with Mint Yogurt Dip

One thing I can never seem to get out of my head are the Zuchini balls I always have at the Greek Club that I keep going back for whenever I visit. The taste, texture and idea had always made me wonder how they made them – and they’re one of the best things I have ever tasted in my life till now!

Now I am guessing Zucchini as a vegetable has bigger fans than artichokes (remember the salad last article?), plus it can be cooked and used in more ways as well. Salads, gratins, fried on their own, stews, soups and with more or less any stir fry. Not only are they high in potassium but they’re also pretty easy to cook. This dish is purely Mediterranean, gaining a stable position especially in Turkish and Greek menus, with the yogurt dip always on the side-  ‘Tzatziki’ in Greece & ‘Cacik’ in Turkey.

I came across this recipe and decided to try it out because I was looking forward to taste something similar to what I have tasted back in the Greek Club but made by me at home, so you can imagine my excitement! It’s really easy to make but the trick here is to dry and drain the vegetables properly after you have granted them, to release any excess water that might prevent the patties from holding tight. The combination of ingredients in there with the yoghurt dip will make a really good starter to a nice lunch or dinner you have at home; you can even have them for lunch on their own!

RECIPE: (serves 2)

3 Zucchinis – grated.

½ a Potato – grated.

1 small onion diced

½ cup dill & parsley. You could also use basil instead of parsley in this recipe.

1 Egg

1 tbsp. Flour

1 tbsp. Bread crumbs

1 tbsp. Butter

Salt & Pepper to taste

Yogurt Dip

1 cup yogurt

1 tablespoon ground mount

½ a lemon, squeezed

Salt & pepper to taste

METHOD:

• In a bowl, grate the vegetables together and dice the onions. Squeeze any excess water with your hands out of the vegetables so the patties can hold tight.
• Add egg, flour, butter, herbs and spices and mix together well so that they all blend together.
• If you feel the mixture is not firm yet, you can add an additional tbsp. of flour.
• Form a patty with your hands and place in pan once the oil is hot, turning it on the side after 3-5 mins to have both sides brown. Make sure to press on the patty with spatula when placed in the pan so that it holds while it cooks.
• After finishing with patties place on top of each other onto a plate.
• Serve with yogurt dip on the side.

Enjoy 🙂