Felicity Cloake's courgette fritti are not chips. If you crave a fluffy, carby heap of fried potato, these won't satisfy. But for hot, crisp, juicy vegetables, they are ideal. Serve as a side or snack with drinks, paired with hot sauce or a punchy dip.
Preparation and Ingredients
Prep time: 15 minutes. Salting time: 30 minutes or more. Cook time: 15 minutes. Serves 8 as a side. Ingredients: 2 medium courgettes, salt, 150g plain flour, 2 egg whites, light olive or neutral oil.
Choosing and Preparing Courgettes
Use any size courgette or summer squash. Larger fruits contain more seeds; for bigger courgettes or marrows, scrape out the watery core with a teaspoon to prevent soggy batter from steam.
Cutting for Optimal Texture
Thinner cuts yield crisper outsides but less juicy centre. Chunky matchsticks offer the best compromise. For rounder squash like pattypan, cut into half-moons. Trim ends, halve lengthways, slice into 5mm-thick pieces, stack, and cut into matchsticks.
Salting to Draw Out Moisture
Toss matchsticks with a generous sprinkle of salt, place in a colander over a bowl, and drain for 30 minutes. This draws out water for a crisper finish and seasons from within. Can be skipped if pressed for time.
Making the Batter
Put flour (gluten-free works) in a wide dish. Stir in lukewarm water (about 250ml) to make a batter the consistency of double cream (thick but pourable). Season lightly and rest for 20 minutes if possible.
Whipping Egg Whites
Whisk egg whites to stiff peaks. Stir a spoonful into batter to loosen, then carefully fold in the rest. Yolks can be used for mayonnaise dip.
Heating Oil and Oven
Fill a large deep pan a third full with oil, heat to 170C (150C fan)/335F/gas 3½. Preheat oven to low. Have an ovenproof tray lined with kitchen paper ready. Squeeze excess liquid from salted courgettes, then dry in a clean tea towel.
Frying in Batches
When oil is hot, drop a handful of courgettes into batter, shake off excess. Fry, stirring to separate, for 3-4 minutes until golden. Scoop onto paper-lined tray, season lightly, keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining courgettes, ensuring oil returns to temperature each time.
Serving Suggestions
Courgettes can be cut and batter made up to 24 hours ahead, stored in fridge. Cooked fries pair well with garlic mayonnaise, hot sauce, salsa verde, or a quick dip of thick plain yoghurt with crushed garlic, crumbled feta, fresh herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil.
