Courgette, feta and herb fritters

Courgette, feta and herb fritters

Fry the fritters in advance and reheat them in a low oven when ready to serve.

Serves 5-6
Ingredients
3 medium or 2 large courgettes, about 500g
sea salt and black pepper
2 tbs light olive oil, plus extra to fry the fritters
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 large eggs
200g feta, diced
a small handful of mint sprigs, leaves chopped
a small handful of dill sprigs, leaves chopped
2 tbs pine nuts
3-4 tbs plain flour

To serve:

lemon wedges
flat-leaf parsley sprigs (optional)
Method of Preparation
Trim the courgettes and coarsely grate them into a sieve set on top of a bowl. Sprinkle over a pinch of salt, mix well and leave to stand for about 10 minutes. (The salt will help to draw out excess moisture.) Squeeze the grated courgettes with your hands to remove some of the juices, then tip into a large bowl. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbs olive oil in a wide frying pan and sauté the onion, with a pinch each of salt and pepper, for 5-6 minutes, until softened. Leave to cool slightly, then add to the courgettes and mix well. Add the eggs, feta, chopped herbs, pine nuts and 3 tbs flour to the courgette mixture. Add a generous grinding of pepper and mix well until evenly combined. (As the feta is salty, you probably won't need to add salt.) If the batter seems too wet, add another 1 tbs flour and mix well. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a wide frying pan. You will need to fry the fritters in batches: drop several spoonfuls of the batter into the pan, spacing them apart, and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a warm plate lined with kitchen paper and keep warm while you cook the rest – there should be enough for 20-24 small fritters. Serve the courgette fritters warm, with lemon wedges and a parsley garnish, if you like.

Spinach and feta rolls

Spinach and feta filo rolls

Serves 4–6
Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
150g spinach leaves, washed and drained
200g feta
1 large egg, beaten
a small bunch of mixed herbs, such as mint, flat-leaf parsley and dill, leaves chopped
sea salt and black pepper
a pinch of sumac (optional)
6 sheets of filo pastry
100g unsalted butter, melted

Method of Preparation
Heat a frying pan and add the oil. When hot, add the spinach and stir until wilted. Tip into a colander and press with the back of a ladle to squeeze out excess moisture, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Chop the spinach finely and place in a bowl. Leave to cool. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Crumble the feta over the spinach and mix in the egg, chopped herbs, seasoning and a pinch of sumac, if using.

Work with 2 filo pastry sheets at a time, keeping the rest covered with a tea towel to prevent them from drying out. Brush a sheet of filo pastry with melted butter, then press the second sheet on top. Brush again with melted butter, then cut through both layers into 4 even rectangles. Spread a tablespoonful of the feta and spinach filling along one short end of a filo rectangle, leaving a 2cm margin on both sides. Roll the pastry over the filling just to enclose it, then tuck in the ends on both sides and continue to roll up the "cigar" to the end. Place on a large, lightly buttered baking sheet and brush with more melted butter. Repeat with the rest of the filo to use up all the filling – you should have enough for 12 rolls. Bake the filo rolls in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden and crisp. Best served warm from the oven.