Zucchini and Corn Fritters

Why This Zucchini and Corn Fritters Works

Grating the zucchini and squeezing out the water keeps the fritters from turning soggy. Once the zucchini is fairly dry, the flour and cornmeal can actually grab onto it instead of floating in a puddle. As the eggs mix in, they coat the zucchini, corn, and cheese and turn everything into a thick batter that can be scooped and shaped. In the hot pan, those eggs slowly set and hold the fritters together so they don’t fall apart when flipped.

During frying, the flour and cornmeal on the outside start to brown and form a thin crust. That crust keeps the inside soft while the outside stays crisp. Corn kernels stay a little juicy, so the centers don’t dry out. Parmesan melts into the batter and firms up as it cools, which gives each fritter a slightly chewy bite instead of a mushy one. By the time they come off the pan and rest on the paper towel, the extra oil drains away and the fritters stay crisp on the outside and tender in the middle.

Mistakes To Avoid

Skipping the step of squeezing the zucchini leaves too much water in the batter. During cooking, that extra liquid steams instead of fries, so the fritters spread out, stay soft in the middle, and never really get crisp on the edges.

Pouring very large scoops of batter into the pan makes the fritters thick and heavy. The outside browns fast while the center stays wet and a bit raw, so they break when flipped and feel gummy instead of light.

When the pan is too cool, the batter just soaks up the oil instead of searing. The fritters turn greasy and pale, and the edges never firm up, so they feel oily and limp on the plate.

Letting the batter sit too long before frying can cause the zucchini to release more water into the mix. The flour and cornmeal then loosen, the mixture turns runny, and the fritters cook up flat and fragile instead of holding a nice shape.