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Polpette di zucchine
Polpette di zucchine: crisp courgette, breadcrumb and cheese balls from southern Italy, eaten cold from the lunch box
Across Puglia, Campania and Sicily, summer gardens overflow with courgettes, and the glut ends up grated into polpette that are fried for supper and packed cold the next day for school and work. They are crisp outside and soft and herby inside. The common mistake is skipping the squeeze: courgette is mostly water, and if you don't wring it out the mix stays sloppy and the balls fall apart in the pan. Traditional recipes use Parmigiano or pecorino, which are always made with animal rennet, so this version uses a vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese. Chef's tip: let the shaped balls rest in the fridge for 15 minutes so the breadcrumbs swell and they hold their shape.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb courgettesabout 3 medium, coarsely grated
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 egglarge
- 2 ⅞ oz dried breadcrumbsplus 30 g for coating
- 1 ¾ oz vegetarian Italian-style hard cheesefinely grated
- 1 clove garliccrushed
- 1 tbsp fresh mintfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsleyfinely chopped
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup sunflower oilfor shallow frying
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ⅛ lb courgettes with ¾ tsp salt in a colander and leave for 10 minutes. Then squeeze them hard in a clean tea towel, a handful at a time, until barely any water drips out.
10 minStep 2: In a bowl, mix the courgette with 1 egg, 2 ⅞ oz dried breadcrumbs (keep 30 g back for coating), 1 ¾ oz vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, 1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp fresh mint, 2 tbsp fresh parsley and ¼ tsp black pepper. The mixture should hold together when squeezed; add a spoon more crumbs if it is wet.
Step 3: Roll into 16 walnut-sized balls, flatten slightly, and roll in the reserved breadcrumbs. Chill for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 4: Heat ½ cup sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat until a crumb sizzles at once. Fry the polpette in two batches for 3–4 minutes a side, until deep golden and firm when pressed.
8 minStep 5: Drain on kitchen paper. Eat warm, or cool completely, refrigerate and pack cold with an ice pack within 2 days. To bake instead, brush with oil and bake at 400°F for 20–25 minutes, turning once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does polpette di zucchine take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of courgettes?
- Cucumber, same weight (raw dishes only).
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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