Broccoli Parmesan Fritters

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces fresh broccoli (about 3 cups chopped)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• oil (for frying)

Recipe

• 1 prepare your broccoli: separate the florets from the biggest stem(s). cut the florets into 1-inch chunks. to prepare the stems, i like to peel them, as the skin can be thick and doesn’t cook quickly, then slice them into 1/2-inch lengths. you should have about 3 cups of chopped broccoli total.
• 2 steam the broccoli until tender but not mushy: use whatever method you prefer. drain the broccoli, then set it aside to cool slightly.
• 3 in the bottom of a large bowl, lightly beat your egg. add the flour, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. then, add the somewhat cooled broccoli and, using a potato masher, mash the broccoli just a bit. you’re looking to keep the bits recognizable, but small enough (1/4- to 1/2-inch chunks) that you can press a mound of the batter into a fritter in the pan. once mashed a bit, stir or fold the ingredients together the rest of the way with a spoon. adjust seasonings to taste.
• 4 heat a large, heavy skillet over moderate heat. once hot, add a good slick of oil (i usually use a mix of olive and vegetable oil), about 2 to 3 tablespoons. once the oil is hot (you can test it by flicking a droplet of water into it; it should hiss and sputter), scoop a two tablespoon-size mound of the batter and drop it into the pan, then flatten it slightly with your spoon or spatula. repeat with additional batter, leaving a couple inches between each. once brown underneath, about 2 to 3 minutes, flip each fritter and cook on the other side until equally golden, about another 1 to 2 minutes.
• 5 transfer briefly to paper towels to drain, then to a serving plate if you’ll be eating them shortly or a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven if you’d like to keep them warm for a while until needed. repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil as needed.