ZUCCHINI FRITTERS

Fried onions, feta cheese, and herbs lift what is otherwise a bland vegetable. These little fritters can be served hot or cold. They can be made in advance and reheated.

1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable or sunflower oil, plus more for frying
1 pound zucchini, finely chopped
3 eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
black pepper
2 to 3 sprigs of mint, chopped
2 to 3 sprigs of dill, chopped
7 ounces feta cheese, mashed with a fork

Fry the onion in 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat until it is soft and lightly colored. Add the zucchini and sauté, stirring, until they, too, are soft.

In a bowl, beat the eggs with the flour until well blended. Add pepper (there is no need of salt because the feta cheese is very salty) and the chopped herbs, and mix well. Fold the mashed feta into the eggs, together with the cooked onions and zucchini.

Film the bottom of a preferably nonstick frying pan with oil and pour in the mixture by the half ladle (or 2 tablespoons) to make a few fritters at a time. Turn each over once, and cook until both sides are browned a little. Drain on paper towels.

Serves 4
Excerpted from Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon by Claudia Roden
Copyright © 2006 by Claudia Roden. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.