Courgette Patty in the Oven

 It goes very well with some salad the next day for lunch. :)

Now a patty is by definiton something 'fried.' I agree, but this time I made a change in this traditional recipe and I baked it in the oven. For two reasons: 1) I couldn't be bothered to make small shapes and fry them one by one. 2) I thought it would be a healthier, lighter version. It's up to you to try and decide. We loved it! I served it at a family dinner and my family loved it. This recipe is known in Greek cuisine as 'Kolokithakeftedes', which means 'courgette balls/courgette fritters'. However much I like the original fried recipe, I reccomend that you try this one as well. If you want to make fried courgette fritters, then all you need to do is prepare this mixture, then spoon it on a frying pan with some olive oil and fry both sides for 3-4 minutes. Perfect summer recipe! Even better the next day when it is cold. Total indulgence for courgette lovers.

Ingredients:
5 medium size courgettes
1 - 1,5 glass of whole wheat flour or rye flour 
2 big eggs
100 gr of Greek feta cheese or Turkish white cheese
1/2 bunch of fresh mint 
1 teaspoon of dry mint 
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dry curry powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon of sweet roasted red pepper powder (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil 

How to:
1. Wash the courgettes thoroughly, then peel and grate them into a big bowl. 
2.Add the flour, egg, salt, pepper, chopped fresh mint leaves, dry mint and the rest of the spices according to your taste. Then crumble 100 gr of feta cheese inside and mix well. 
3. Grease a rectangular shaped baking tray with extra virgin olive oil and pour in the mixture. Press with your spatula to make it even and level. (The mixture should be 1 or 1.5 cm thick in the oven tray. If it is thicker, it might need more time in the oven.) Pour some more olive oil on top to make a crusty and well-baked top, then bake in the pre-heated 175 degrees Celsius oven for 35-40 minutes. Serve warm or cold. Eat and enjoy!

 

Ready to go into the oven.