Serves 4 • Prep Time 15 minutes, plus 2 hours draining and chilling time Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 pounds zucchini, rinsed clean
2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 large eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano or other hard Italian grating cheese
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon fine breadcrumbs
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
olive oil for frying

Directions

1. Shred zucchini with a box grater or the shredding attachment of a food processor. Have kids transfer to a colander and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Then place a plate on top and weigh it down with a heavy can or pot. Put the colander in the sink, over the drain, and let zucchini release water for 1 to 2 hours.

2. Transfer zucchini to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove any remaining moisture. In a medium bowl, let kids mix zucchini with eggs, cheese, flour, breadcrumbs and pepper. The mixture should be soft but not watery; if it’s too thick, the fritters will be heavy. Chill for 1 hour.

3. Fill a deep skillet with 1½ inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat until oil sizzles. Add rounded teaspoonfuls of zucchini mixture, taking care not to crowd the pan. Fry until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes total, turning once halfway through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with sea salt. Repeat with the remaining zucchini mixture. Serve immediately.

Excerpted from Italian Home Cooking, by Julia della Croce. Recipes reprinted with permission by Kyle Books. Copyright © 2010.