Walnut Fritters/Keftedes from Northern Greece

5 from 1 vote

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.

Course dinner, Lunch, starter

Cuisine Greek cuisine, Mediterranean diet

Keyword Diane Kochilas, fritters, keftedes, Northern Greece, walnuts

PREP TIME 15 minutes

COOK TIME 20 minutes

SERVES 8

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.