Nigel Slater: five recipes for fritters | Food (2024)

I like my fritters tender and fragile. The sort you have to handle carefully, turning them gently in the pan. Once they are in the oil or butter, they need to be left in situ for a few minutes to allow them to develop a firm, golden crust, then tenderly turned with a spatula. Most of my frying is done in shallow oil, and the results drained briefly on kitchen paper. The best finish will come from allowing the uncooked fritters to rest before cooking, giving them a chance to keep their shape once they hit the hot pan.

A dip of some sort, perhaps crushed tomatoes with fresh basil or yoghurt flecked with chopped coriander, makes a welcome accompaniment. Though I am rather partial to a bowl of garlic mayonnaise with most crisp morsels that I lift, fizzing from the frying pan.

Chickpea and beetroot patties

You could cook your chickpeas from scratch if you prefer, but the canned ones work very well for this.

Makes 4, serves 2
raw beetroot 150g
chickpeas 400g can
olive oil 3 tbsp
plain flour 1.5 tbsp
olive oil for shallow frying

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then put them into the bowl of a food processor with the olive oil and blitz toa smooth paste. Mix in the flour andseason carefully with salt and black pepper. Transfer the chickpea paste into the beetroot bowl and mix gently.

Shape the mixture into four thick patties, using lightly floured hands if the mixture is at all sticky. Warm a little olive oil in a shallow non-stick pan over a moderate heat. Lower the fritters into the hot oil and let them colour nicely, turn over and let the other side crisp lightly. Serve with the yoghurt sauce below.

Yoghurt and coriander sauce

natural yoghurt 100ml
coriander leaves a small handful
pomegranate molasses a trickle

Mix the yoghurt with the chopped coriander and a little black pepper. Spoon into a serving bowl then trickle a small amount of pomegranate molasses over the surface.

Salt cod fritters, roasted garlic and tomato sauce

Makes about 18 balls. Serves 6
salt cod 800g (bone-in weight)
milk 500ml
potatoes 750g
butter 40g
beaten egg
dried white breadcrumbs (such as panko)
oil for shallow frying

Soak the salt cod for 24 hours in deep, cold water, changing the water every few hours.

Cook the salt cod in the milk, topped up with enough water to just cover it, for about 40 minutes or until the flesh will easily come from the bone. If you are using boned salt cod, then cook in milk and water, turning the pieces of fish occasionally, for 25 minutes or until the fish is tender.

Break the fish into pieces then add to the mashed potato and blend thoroughly, seasoning with a little black pepper but no salt. Shape the mixture into about 18-20 balls then roll them in the beaten egg and then the breadcrumbs. Leave in the fridge, covered with kitchen film, for about 30minutes to firm up. Fry the frittersin shallow oil till crisp. Drainlightly and serve with the saucebelow.

To make the sauce, roast the head of garlic, whole and unpeeled, at 180C/gas mark 4, for about 35-40 minutes. Break the head into cloves, then squeeze each with your thumb and fingers to remove the cooked sweet flesh inside. Place in a food processor, add the cherry tomatoes, sherry vinegar and caster sugar then process to a rough puree.

Spinach and potato fritters

Serves 5 as a starter or side dish
floury potatoes 1kg
butter 50g
medium, red chilli 1
ground turmeric 2 tsp
spinach 150g
flour a little
oil for frying

Halve, seed and finely chop the chilli then stir it into the mashed potato, together with the ground turmeric and some ground black pepper.

Wash the spinach, remove any tough stems, then cook it, in its own steam, in a pan with a lid, for minute or two till wilted. Drain the spinach, then squeeze almost dry with your hands. Roughly chop the spinach then fold into the mashed potato. Check the seasoning, it may need more salt, then shape, with lightly floured hands, into 25 very small patties.

Warm a little oil in a shallow, non-stick pan, then cook the patties till lightly coloured on the outside. Serve hot, five or so per person.

Pea and bacon fritters

to coat and fry:
eggs 2, beaten
crisp white breadcrumbs a couple of large handfuls
butter a thick slice
olive or vegetable oil a little

Boil the peas for about 4 minutes in lightly salted water, then drain them. Leave them in a colander under cold running water until thoroughly chilled. Tip the peas into the bowl of a food processor, add the tarragon leaves and process to a smooth paste.

Cut the bacon into small pieces then fry in the butter in a shallow, non-stick pan till crisp. Drain on kitchen paper, add to the peas and process briefly, transfer to a bowl, then chill thoroughly for a couple of hours.

Fold the egg yolks and 6 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs into the pea mixture. Pour the beaten egg into a shallow dish, and spread the remaining breadcrumbs on a plate. Shape the pea mixture into 6 short, fat barrel-shaped croquettes. Roll each croquette in the beaten egg and then in the crumbs, then chill for 20 minutes.

In the same pan in which you cooked the bacon, warm the remaining butter and the oil, then fry the croquettes, over a moderate heat, gently rolling them over now and again to colour evenly. Drain, briefly, on kitchen paper and serve.

Dessert arancini

Serves 6, Makes 12
pudding rice 225g
milk 300ml
double cream 300ml
vanilla extract 1 tsp
water 6 tbsp
caster sugar 4 tbsp
grated orange zest 2 tsp
golden sultanas 4 tbsp
dried cherries 4 tbsp
flaked almonds 4 tbsp
crystallised rose petals a tbsp (optional)
beaten egg 1
porridge oats 8 tbsp
blood oranges 2

Let the rice cook for 15-20 minutes until it is soft and has swelled with the milk. If there is any liquid left, continue cooking until it has all been absorbed. Stir in the sugar, orange zest, dried fruits and almonds. Scatter with the rose petals if you are using them, then tip onto a plate or shallow dish to cool. Once the rice is completely cooled, refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Put the beaten egg into a shallow bowl. Toast the oats briefly in a frying pan then scatter on a plate or shallow dish. Roll the rice into 12 fat fritters, then roll them in the beaten egg and then into the toasted porridge oats. Chill the fritters for 30 minutes. Peel and thinly slice the blood oranges.