Greek zucchini balls – Kolokithokeftedes

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg zucchini
• 150 g breadcrumbs, panko or cornflakes, unsweetened
• 150 g flour or ground oat flakes
• 250 g feta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• 1 tbsp parsley or other chopped herbs of your choice
• n. B. Garlic (1 – 2 cloves)

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 5 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

Simple, cold and warm a delight

Wash, trim, and grate the zucchini (like potato pancakes). Line a sieve with a kitchen towel (not a paper towel!) and place the zucchini in the sieve, then place a bowl underneath. Toss with a teaspoon of salt. Place in the refrigerator for about half an hour to allow the water to drain. In the meantime, peel and chop the garlic (if desired). Crumble the feta cheese in a bowl. Mix with the breadcrumbs, flour, eggs, and seasoning. Then squeeze the zucchini grated into the cloth. This should release as much water as possible. Add the zucchini to the flour mixture and mix everything together. Knead the ball mixture well. If the mixture is still too runny, thicken with flour or breadcrumbs if necessary until you can form small balls. The balls taste best when they are about the size of a mini golf ball. If you have a deep fryer, you can spread them out in it. Simply add them to the pan for 3-5 minutes at around 200°C and fry until browned. Then remove them and let the fat drain on a paper towel. Alternatively, you can prepare them in a pan or in a pot with plenty of fat, or in the oven. For the saucepan version: Simply add enough oil to the pot so that it functions like a deep fryer. If you want to test whether the oil is hot enough, add some breadcrumbs; if they bubble, it’s hot enough. For the pan version: Heat olive oil in a pan. Form the dough into small balls and fry them for about 2 minutes on each side at medium heat. In the oven: This is the version that takes the longest. Preheat oven to 200°C (top/bottom heat). Place the balls on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. The balls can be eaten hot or cold. They are also delicious sliced ​​and placed on bread. We eat it with tzatziki and flatbread, for example. It’s also a great side dish for a barbecue. I also use it cold the next day by making a lunchbox with green and Greek salad. Cut into balls or chop into small pieces. Top with tzatziki. Notes: I also find cornflakes a delicious alternative to breadcrumbs. It adds a nice crunch. And when flour is scarce, I use oatmeal and grind it into flour. I naturally reuse the frying oil several times. This recipe is perfect for the upcoming zucchini glut. Per serving: Approx. 500 kcal