Zucchini balls

"Stin ygeia sas"

These delicious morsels are perfect for a pre-dinner snack (meze, as we call it) or light lunch.
Serve with Greek ouzo!

The Greek phrase for toasting is “Stin ygeia sas” … which means “to your health”.

Kolokythokeftedes are fried patties of mashed courgettes or zucchini (kolokythia), as well as other vegetables depending on preference, flour and egg to stick the mixture together. The amount of flour required will vary according to the moisture of the zucchinis so make sure you add enough. The keftedes, or "fried balls" excuse the expression, are made with a variety of ingredients, are usually utterly delicious, and do not take much time to make. They are served as a meze, or as a side dish and are best eaten hot. Bite through a slightly crisp, brown outer coat and discover the meltingly soft, light yet sticky, interior. You’ll love them.

Two years ago, my brother and his family came to Greece from Australia on holidays. I made them and they loved them. I also made another meze, which is slices of eggplant, rolled with feta cheese inside. I will also make these soon.

We went to Nafplio during a weekend and then all together we went to Tinos for our holidays.


Nafplio:

In the local “tavernas” it was a kind of a speciality and we used to order them a lot. My sister in law remembered them a few weeks back when we spoke on the phone and I promised that I would post the recipe for her.

Tinos Island:

Ingredients:

5 green zucchini, grated
1 onion
5 spring onions finely
½ bunch of parsley and dill, finely chopped
1 egg
2 spoonfuls of dried mint
Salt and pepper
Flour
1 teaspoonful of baking powder
1 spoonful of olive oil
1/2 cup of feta cheese, or xynomyzithra (crumbled) or grated halloumi, graviera or kefalotyri
Extra virgin olive oil for frying
Directions:

Wash the vegetables and let them drain the water away.
Grate the courgettes and place into a colander with salt for half an hour.
See how much water was drained.
Squeeze to remove any remaining fluid.
Place in a bowl with a slice of bread to absorb any excess fluid. Throw bread away before mixing all ingredients.
Now break the egg into the bowl and add cheese of your preference, chopped herbs and salt and pepper.
(Easy on the salt, as all cheese mentioned above are quite salty and don’t forget that we added salt to the grated courgettes).
Continue to massage the mixture between fingers after adding flour until you have a smooth, but not runny, consistency.

After this, the mixture is helped by being allowed to stand in the fridge for, at least, an hour, before frying in olive oil. (I fried them the following day). Again place a slice of bread in the bowl because after standing, the mixture will ‘leak’ water or add a bit more flower to return to correct consistency.

Scoop out patties with a spoon, and make flattened patties on a floured surface. Fry in hot olive oil. The level of olive oil in the frying pan should cover half the patty. (Turn the patties once, browning both sides.

Finish by placing them on absorbent paper for a minute.