Eggplant Fritters - Melitzanokeftedes

Four eggplant fritters on a plate with a container with yogurt dip, some fresh basil leaves and a cloth napkin at the back.

Eggplant Fritters - Melitzanokeftedes

These easy eggplant fritters are fantastic as an appetizer, finger food, or a quick dinner paired with a salad.

Course Appetizer-snack

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Servings fritters

Calories 158kcal

Author by Jenny | The Greek Foodie

Ingredients

2 large eggplants
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for brushing
1 cup Greek feta cheese crumbled
2 cups breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon oregano heaping
½ cup fresh mint leaves coarsely chopped
½ cup fresh basil leaves coarsely chopped
2 eggs
2 garlic cloves minced
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

you also need

light olive oil for deep-frying. You can also use vegetable oil.
fresh basil leaves for serving

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F
Cut the eggplants in half, then score the flesh deeply in a diamond cross-hatch pattern with two or three long cuts, rotating the eggplant to make another set of cuts.
Brush a little olive oil on the flesh and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Place eggplant halves flesh side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
Scoop out the flesh and add it to a large bowl. Add 2 cups breadcrumbs, 2 garlic cloves minced, two eggs, the chopped herbs, and one cup crumbled feta cheese. Mix well.
Heat 3-4 tablespoons of light olive oil in a medium skillet.
Take a heaped tablespoon of the mixture and add it to the hot oil. Tidy up the fritter shape a little bit with the spoon.
Add two more fritters, don't overcrowd the pan.
Fry for 2-3 minutes. Carefully, turn fritters midway for a golden brown color all over.
Place fritters on paper towels to absorb most of the oil.
Serve fritters with a yogurt-based sauce, marinara, or whipped feta cheese.

Notes

This fritter mixture will not be firm; it will be soft and fluffy. Scoop a full tablespoon of the mixture, tidy it up in your hand and carefully place it in the hot oil. Use the spoon to shape it in the pan. Please don't turn the fritter on the other side too soon. It might fall apart. Do a test first with one fritter to check how long to fry and when to flip sides.

You can use a variety of cheeses in this recipe. Feta, kefalotiri, grated parmesan, pecorino romano, gruyere, etc. they are all good.

For a quick and easy sauce to go with these fritters mix:

1 cup of greek yogurt like Fage
a pinch of sea salt
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped mint

Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only an estimate and can vary based on the products used.

Nutrition