Walnut Fritters/Keftedes from Northern Greece
There are so many dishes in the Greek kitchen that use unusual but completely natural ingredients as a substitute for meat. Walnuts for example, are often a replacement for ground meat in keftedes (meatballs) and even a few savory pies. This dish is part of the Vlachs cooking, a once-itinerant culture of shepherds who roamed the mountains of northern Greece and settled in areas around the Pindus range, Metsovo and lower into the valleys.
RATING
SERVES
8
PREP TIME
15 min
COOK TIME
20 min
Ingredients
- 1 medium potato about 6oz/170gr peeled
- 2 cups/225 g all-purpose/plain flour
- 1 tbs baking soda
- 2 cups/240g coarsely ground walnuts
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large red onion finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil or other frying oil
- Anevato or other soft sour Greek cheese for serving
Instructions
-
Grate or shred the potato with a hand grater or a food processor fitted with a grater disc. Squeeze the excess liquid out of the potato, place in a bowl. Mix in the flour, baking soda, walnuts, garlic, onion and mint. Season with salt and pepper. Knead the mixture until a mass forms that is firm enough to hold its shape. Take a tablespoon at a time and shape into a ball. Pat down to form a patty. Set aside on a large platter or tray.
-
In a large, deep frying pan, heat about 2 in/5 cm of oil over medium-high heat until it reaches about 365°F/185°C and pan-fry the patties, one batch at a time, until deep gold, flipping once to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels and serve, accompanied by the Anevato.
