Recipe: Green Ricotta Fritters
Happy Monday! Today's recipe is a great prepare-ahead dish to add to midweek lunches or to bolster in-a-hurry dinners, you can just have the mixture sitting in the fridge and fry it on demand. Because of this 'speed factor', I like to prepare these Green Ricotta Fritters using the microwave but by all means steam the veggies on your stove if you prefer.
The recipe is inspired by Dominique Rizzo's Broccoli and Cauliflower Fritters, which I was lucky to sample at a breakfast a few weeks ago. Part of what makes them so moreish is their thickness, so ensure the mixture's cold and firm before cutting it with a large, round scone/cookie cutter, a water glass or even a mug.
Green Ricotta Fritters
- 1 head broccoli
- 1/2 head cauliflower
- 1 cup baby spinach, chopped roughly
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs, plus a little extra for frying
- 100g ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grapeseed oil or whatever you prefer for frying
Chop broccoli and cauliflower into florets, don't worry about being neat as you're going to mash them anyway, and tip into a large microwave-proof dish. Add a touch of water and steam for 10 minutes or until veggies are tender. Mash together using a fork or potato masher, then stir through spinach so it wilts down.
Add all ingredients (except oil) to mix and combine with hands until the mixture starts to stick together. Add salt and pepper to taste then lay mixture onto a deep tray making sure you don't spread the mixture too thinly - you want it piled about 2 inches high so it's thick. Cover the tray and place in the fridge for around an hour but up to 3 days.
When you're ready to eat, cut each fritter using a scone cutter, a mug or a water glass and coat lightly with leftover breadcrumbs.
Add oil to a large frying pan and turn heat to high. When it starts to smoke, carefully add fritters to hot oil, frying in batches until golden on both sides (about 3-5 minutes).
Dress them anyway, I like them on a salad with strips of bacon, or coated with the leftovers of a meaty pasta sauce, and even as a less carb-y side to a roast.
TIP: Try adding the zest of half a lemon to the mixture before cooking - creates a fresher flavour that pairs perfectly with avocado. Also, Dominique says you could also coat the fritters lightly in olive oil and cook them in a 180C fan-forced oven for around 15 minutes.
