Zucchini & Ricotta Fritters With Tomato Avocado Salsa

These green-flecked little fritters seem to me the essence of summer cooking—herby, fresh-tasting, and quick to cook. You don’t have to serve the fritters with the tomato salsa, though I love the contrast of hot, crisp fritter with the cool, chile-spiked fruity salsa—you could serve them as they are with lemon wedges and a little melted butter.

Yield:

Makes 18-20 small fritters

Ingredients

1. For the Fritters:
2. ==============
3. 3 zucchini (about 10-12 oz.)
4. 8 oz. ricotta cheese
5. 2 large eggs, separated
6. 3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
7. 3-5 tablespoons milk
8. 4 scallions, thinly sliced
9. 3 tablespoons mixed chopped herbs, such as parsley, dill, mint, and cilantro
10. 1⁄4 teaspoon cream of tartar
11. Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
12. olive or safflower oil, for sautéing
13. .
14. For the salsa
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16. 1 large ripe (but not soft) avocado
17. 8 oz. ripe tomatoes, deseeded and diced
18. 1 large kiwi fruit, peeled and diced
19. Grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 unwaxed lime, plus extra juice to taste
20. 1 medium red or green chile, seeded and finely chopped
21. 1 small red onion, finely chopped
22. 2 tablespoons mixed chopped mint and cilantro leaves
23. Roasted ground cumin and superfine sugar, to taste
24. 1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce (optional)

Directions

1. Trim the ends from the zucchini, then grate coarsely. Toss with 1 teaspoon salt and put in a colander to drain for 45 minutes. Rinse, then squeeze dry with your hands or in a dry, clean kitchen towel.
2. Meanwhile, make the salsa. Peel and pit the avocado then chop into small dice. Put it in a non-reactive bowl with the tomatoes, kiwi, lime zest, chile, red onion, and herbs. Add a pinch of cumin and fish sauce (if using) with the lime juice. Toss to mix thoroughly, then let stand while you make the fritters.
3. In a bowl, beat together the ricotta with the egg yolks, flour, and 3 tablespoons milk to make a thick batter. Fold in the zucchini, scallions, and chopped herbs. Season with black pepper and a little extra salt. Add the extra milk only if the mixture seems too stiff. Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar in a separate, grease-free bowl until stiff, then fold into the flour mixture to make a light batter.
4. In a large, non-stick skillet, heat 3-4 tablespoons oil over medium heat then add spoonfuls of the batter to make little pancakes, about 3 inches across. Saute for about 4-5 minutes on each side until browned and set. Keep the batches warm in a low oven as you make all the fritters, adding extra oil to the pan as necessary.
5. Taste the salsa and add salt, pepper, sugar, more cumin, and/or lime juice to taste, then serve with the hot fritters.

Notes