Tuesday, October 03, 2006

HHDD #6: F is for Fritter

Zuccini, Ham, Basil and Ricotta Fritters

What’s round, flat and fried? Fritter’s of course!

The versatile and modest fritter makes its name on the big stage as this month’s theme for Hay Hay it’s Donna Day #6. Donna says that “for breakfast, a light lunch, supper or side, fritters in all their variations are sure to hit the spot,” and I couldn’t agree more. There isn’t a food that comes to mind that you couldn’t turn into a fritter; there are banana fritters, corn fritters, potato fritters, fish fritters you name it and I bet you, you can fritter it.

So I’m making the call…
Come one, come all, this is your chace to flip it and reverse it.
To offer up your latest and greatest in fritters;
be it savoury or sweet any type will do,
as long as it’s round, flat and fried,
whatever flavour, it’s totally up to you!

Corn Fritters

What: Hay Hay it’s Donna Day #6- F is for Fritter!
When: Post your recipe by the 15th of October, 2006
Where: email your post to
milkandcookieblog@yahoo.com.au
How: email me your name, blog’s name, recipe title, post’s URL and your location.
The round up will be posted 22nd of October and voting will start soon after that.

Here are two Donna Hay fritter recipes (issue 29) that should get the ball rolling...

Basic Corn Fritters
(serves 4)

Corn Fritters

1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
2 eggs
20g (¾ oz) butter, melted
1/3 cup (2½ fl oz) milk
sea salt and cracked black pepper
400g (14 oz) can corn kernels, drained
3 green onions (scallions), chopped
vegetable oil for shallow-frying
lemon wedges to serve

Place flour, eggs, butter, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Fold through corn and green onions.
Place two tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan and heat over medium heat.
Add ¼ cups of the mixture to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes each side or until bubbles appear on the surface. Set aside.
Add another two tablespoons of oil and repeat with the remaining mixture.
Serve with the lemon.

DONNA’S TIPS:
+ Fritters absorb the oil they are cooked in, which is why you have to add extra oil before cooking a new batch. This way they won’t stick to the pan they’ll go a lovely golden colour and be crispy on the outside.
+ As you have to cook fritters in batches, cover the ones that are ready with a clean tea towel. If you are cooking other things to go with the fritters place them in a 100°C (210°F) oven to keep them warm.

Zucchini, Ham, Basil and Ricotta Fritters
(serves 2)

1 cup self-raising flour
2 eggs
20g (¾ oz) butter, melted
1/3 cup (2½ fl oz) milk
sea salt and cracked black pepper
½ cup fresh ricotta cheese
¼ cup fresh basil torn
75g leg ham, torn
1 zucchini (courgette), cut into long thin strips
vegetable oil for shallow-frying

Place flour, eggs, butter, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Fold through the ricotta, basil, ham and zucchini.
Place two tablespoons of the oil in a small frying pan and heat over medium heat.
Add ½ of the mixture to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until bubbles appear on the surface. Set aside.
Add another two tablespoons of oil and repeat with the remaining mixture.
Cut into wedges and serve.

Zuccini, Ham, Basil and Ricotta Fritters with Aioli

I also used Donna’s recipe for Garlic Aïoli (issue 27) to serve with the Zucchini and Ricotta Fritters.

4 egg yolks
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups (16 fl oz) olive oil

Place egg yolks, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and process until combined.
Gradually pour in the oil while the motor is still running and process until the mixture is thick and smooth.
Serve with zucchini and ricotta fritters.

Shopping List Corn Fritter Batter

Hay Hay It’s Donna Day is a monthly event initiated by Barbara of Winos and Foodies; to get more of an insight into the history of this event, check out this page.

23 comments:

Bonnie said...

MMmmmm yum! I might have to join in on this one!

Camille Clech said...

Hi Jenjen, and thanks for your visit in my little kitchen... your messages makes me very happy ;-)

Now, it's my turn to discover your fantastic blog !!! I find it absolutly fabulous (I love everything : pics, recipes, humour)... REALLY !!!

So, see you soon in the www.
Bises

Anonymous said...

Your fritters look fantastic, and this looks like a perfect excuse to try some fritter recipes that I've been storing away :)

Anonymous said...

hi jen!
oh, what a nice theme, fritters are indeed so versatile - you’ve made an absolute delicious one, beautiful pictures! can't wait for the round up! =)

Anonymous said...

hey... i was just writing down my grocery lists and thought of making fritters!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on HHDD#5, you deserved it, your tart was so appetizing. So are these fritters. As usual, your pictures are mouthwatering! I think I would have to eat the entire batch!

Gattina Cheung said...

JenJen,
Fantastic photos! you took a special and artisic angle to present the food, it's super!
Now I want to have that ricotta fritter!

wheresmymind said...

Flat and fried...sounds good to me!

Brilynn said...

This should be fun!
Your pictures are awesome.

I've just purchased my first Donna Hay magazine (it was hard to find and cost the price of 3 regular magazines) so I'll be getting into this one.

Alpineberry Mary said...

Hi JenJen, Congrats on the winning tart and very nice choice for the next HHDD. Does the fritter have to be flat? Or can it be puffy and spherical?

Sam said...

JenJen - your blog is beginning to look like a Donna Hay magazine. Take that back, it's look BETTER than a Donna Hay magazine!

I hope I have time to join in this month. I have just started a new job and I am nor sure how my stress levels and spare time will be.

congrats on the win and good luck with the hosting.

Sam

Jen said...

Bonnie- Looking forward to what you will come up with!

Camille- thanks for stopping by! I absolutely love your blog, and I must warn you now, I will be making a lot of your recipes.

Ellie- yes, it;s time to take out those fritter recipes that have been catching dust (I know I have a few) and finally give them a test run. Looking forward to your entry.

Julia- Thanks! It was a toss up between fritters and puddings. But I thought fritters would make for more interesting a varied entries.

Swee- Awesome, that is some well-timed food shopping!

Helene- the win was honestly a surprise, although a very welcome one.
I am the same, I really had to stop myself from eating the entire pile of fritters especially the zucchini ones!

Gattina- Thanks so much, I agree the zucchini ones were my favourtie also.

wheresmind- the wonders of anything flat and fried. Pancakes, crepes, pikelts where does it end...?

Brilynn- wow that's one expensive magazine! Canada is a pretty long way for a magazine to travel. I guess we are pretty lucky that DH is Aussie and so her mags aren't that expensive here.
Well whatever you pick, I'm looking forward to your recipe.

Mary- Thanks. As for the fritters, I have only made flat ones, but if you have a recipe for spherical ones, go right ahead. I'm all up for mixing it up with great variations. Can't wait to see what you come up with!!

Sam- wow, I wouldn't go as far to say that mine are better but thatis quite flattering. I always have photo envy while looking through her mag, but I know I have no where near as nice equipment or a food styling team like DH does. I can only dream.

lobstersquad said...

Oh, Jenjen, no!!! I don´t fry! What can I do for #6? I´ll have to find a way. Dear me, the challenges of food blogging.

Anonymous said...

They look excellent Jen. I've notified all the calenders. Good luck with the hosting.

Jen said...

Lobstersquad- not to worry, I'm sure you can come up with a fritter that needs no frying! Oven baked fritters can be just as good, you might just have to tweak the recipe.
Hopefully you can still join in on all the frittering action!

Barbara- thanks so much for all your help, I would not have been able to start it off without you : )

ilingc said...

oh fritters, i love fritters! I was going to buy the current version of donna hay mag when I saw the shopping list note pad!

hmm must go look for the recipe of my favourite fritter. hope i have time to make something before your deadline.

Anonymous said...

Could this be the time that Cream Puff finally takes part in an HHDD event??? Yes ... I think it could!

I love the theme and ther fritters!

Anonymous said...

I'm in! I'm a fritter virgin!

Anonymous said...

Hi jenjen, these are utterly stunning. Sounds delicious too. What a fab theme. I don't have any Donna Hay book in my posession and come to think of it, before the blogging world, i, can shamelessly say, that i had never heard of her before. She certainly has plentiful of followers and i can see why.

I love your shopping notes.

Anonymous said...

A fritter maker I am not but I will give it a try.

Anonymous said...

Congrats again on your win :) I'm so tickled that you're hosting...and you've come up with a great theme...just as i knew you would.

i have a recipe in mind already. great idea for #6!

- t*

Jen said...

illingc- Hope you will be able to make somethiing in time, i'd love to see what amazing thing you will fry up!

Ivonne- I sure hope this could be your maiden voyage into Donna Day, i'm sure whatever you come up with it will be excellent!

Jennifer- yay! After this you won't be anymore!

Mae- thanks! I actually never realised how popular Donna Hay was overseas, I just thought she was only doing well in Aus. Looks like her appeal is much greater than nationwide.

Peabody- it would be great if you could join in. You never know you might unearth the fritterer in you!

Tami- Thanks so much! Looking forward to your fritter recipe, no doubt it will be outstanding.

neil said...

Jenjen, I've just found out about this one, will post something first thing in the morning, which by my calculations will still be the 15th somewhere - I hope!