My clever mother-in-law has a wonderful recipe for baked zucchini fritters. These are usually fried. Instead of frying, she bakes them in a muffin pan. I really like this presentation. Not only is it healthier than frying, it’s cute and can be made into a portable and yummy snack. Valentine’s Day is approaching, so we decided on making heart-shaped zucchini muffins.
This recipe only requires about 15 minutes of hands-on time and an additional 20 minutes of having the shredded zucchini sit in salt to rid it of excess liquid. Baking time is about 30-35 minutes, depending on your oven. This recipe makes about 24 muffin sized portions. We experimented with baking the zucchini muffins without first ridding it of excess liquid; however, the muffins became too soggy. To get the right consistency, we found it best to salt the zucchini first. Finally, this recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of black pepper. It seems like a lot, but it really turns out well.
Here is what you’ll need:
- 6 medium zucchini
- 1 and 1/2 tsp. salt
- 6 tbsp. flour
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 bunch dill, chopped
- 3 oz. grated cheddar cheese
- 1 medium onion, finely minced
- 6 eggs
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Here how to put it all together:
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Coat the muffin pans with cooking spray.
Grate the zucchini. I use the shredder attachment with my food processor because I find it the easiest and fastest method. Place the grated zucchini in a colander with a bowl underneath and mix the salt into it. The salt will help rid the zucchini of excess water. Let it sit for about 20 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze out any excess water.
In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together (flour, black pepper, and dill). Add the cheese, onions, eggs, olive-oil and zucchini until well mixed.
Spoon the batter into the muffin molds and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, depending on your oven. The top will turn golden-brown and a toothpick or wooden skewer will come out clean after testing for the doneness. Let the muffins cool a bit and take them out of the pan.
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