Meatballs and Muffins

The first time I made these fritters, I used zucchini grown in my own garden that were picked by my grandson.

Like most kids, my grandson is not keen on green vegetables. He has a habit of analysing food and picking out bits he doesn’t like before he takes a bite. This usually means at least half of whatever he is eating is discarded. So when I made these fritters for him I decided to peel the outer skin of the zucchini. Yes, I know all the goodness is in the skin but by doing this, he ate every bit of the fritters I put in his plate and that’s a win for me!

What you need

• 2 medium zucchini, grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup self-raising flour
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese*
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme- finely chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

What to do

Wrap the grated zucchini in a clean tea towel or kitchen paper and squeeze over a bowl to remove as much liquid as possible.

Place zucchini in a medium bowl and add remaining ingredients except the olive oil. Mix well to combine.

Heat the oil in a frypan.

Drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture in the pan and cook until golden, then flip over and to cook on the other side.

*You can substitute the Parmesan cheese with 1/2 cup of a tasty or other hard cheese if you prefer.