It’s the season of the fritter! Zucchini fritters are everywhere right now. This recipe uses ingredients specific to the Central Coast, particularly the Central Coast Creamery Goat Cheddar Cheese. This cheese is truly the best of both worlds! It has the characteristic, unapologetic tang of classic goat cheese combined with the sharpness of cheddar, bringing a much needed punch of flavor to these zucchini and local potato fritters.
The fingerling potatoes are from Talley Farms Harvest Box, and the zucchini, from my mom’s garden. Yes, I only used one. (!)
Now, you may not be able to find a two pound zucchini locally, and that’s okay. I recommend utilizing those scales at the grocery store to find your two pounds.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lb zucchini.
- 1 lb fingerling potatoes.
- 1/2 cup + 2 TB all-purpose flour.
- 1 TB corn starch.
- 2 eggs.
- 1 head of garlic (about 9 cloves).
- 1/4 cup Central Coast Creamery Goat Cheddar Cheese.
- 2 tsp salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
- 1 tsp ground chipotle chili pepper OR smoked paprika (for less spice).
DIRECTIONS
1. PREP ZUCCHINI. In a large bowl, shred whole zucchini using small grate on a box grater. No need to skin or deseed, just clean the zucchini and shred whole. A handful at a time, squeeze out as much liquid as possible over the sink. Place squeezed zucchini on a paper towel. When all zucchini has been squeezed, place another paper towel over the top and press down to extract any remaining liquid.
2. PREP POTATO. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, heavily salted. Peel the fingerling potatoes. Drop into boiling water and boil until fork tender, about 20-30 minutes. Using tongs, place potatoes in a clean bowl, let cool. Mash with fork or potato masher until all chunks are bite-sized.
3. Add squeezed zucchini to the bowl with the cooled, mashed potato. Stir in minced garlic. Set aside.
4. In a bowl, whisk together egg. Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and chipotle/paprika to bowl. Whisk to combine.
5. Add egg to bowl with zucchini and potato. Stir in corn starch and flour. Mix to combine. Fold in grated cheese.
6. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat with a light covering of vegetable/canola oil. Use a 1/4 cup to scoop the fritter batter into pan. Press down using the back of the measuring cup to flatten the fritter. The thinner the fritter, the more crispy it will be. For a softer center, leave thick. Cook approx 3-5 minutes per side, depending on preferences.
7. Serve with a generous grate of Central Coast Creamery Goat Cheddar and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. Enjoy!
