Courgette fritters for dessert

Quick snack. Plus, more courgette recipes next week, so subscribe. It's free.

Yes, you read that right. Chifteluțe dulci de dovlecei are a sweet snack. They are similar to apple fritters but made with courgettes. The first time I mentioned this recipe was in my Eastern European dessert book, "Tava," (which, by the way, is currently enjoying a 53% discount on Amazon, see here).

Photo by Matt Russell for Tava

Some people were intrigued and asked, "Wait! No cheese in the fritters?" No, it's a sweet snack. But they insisted, "We bet that if you add Feta cheese and then drizzle honey on top, they will be grand." Possibly, but that's not how we make them in Romania. That's not the recipe.

Plus, you will miss a trick: the caster sugar sprinkled on top. This is key because it gives the fritters a nice crunchy texture, and we all love that irresistible combination of crunchiness and softness that keeps us coming back for more. Luckily, two medium-sized courgettes will give you plenty of fritters.

The recipe

300 g courgettes, grated 

35g caster sugar, plus extra to serve 

2 medium eggs

80 g plain flour

zest of 1 lemon

1 pinch of salt

Oil for frying

In a bowl, combine the grated courgettes with the sugar and leave to macerate for 10 minutes. Squeeze as much water as possible out of the courgettes, then place them in a bowl and mix with the eggs, flour, lemon zest and salt. 

Heat the oil in a medium frying pan (skillet) over medium–high heat, adjusting the heat as you go along to keep the oil temperature constant. Place spoonfuls of the batter in the oil and flatten them slightly. Cook for a few minutes on each side to a rich golden colour. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on kitchen paper. 

Sprinkle the fritters with caster sugar and serve immediately.

Also see my website for details about Culinary Transylvania Tour this September. Link here.