Greek-inspired tomato fritters

Here’s another dish inspired by domatokeftedes that we had in Epidavros. Created my own spin (thanks to yet another kind chef for sharing some tips).
In Epidavros, we were fortunate to watch the Greek tragedy, Elektra by Sophocles - performed by the National Theatre of Greece at the ancient theater of Epidaurus. This experience was humbling. Being in a 3000 year old outdoor theatre, sitting in seats that play-goers have sat in for thousands of years. We were with close to 10,000 friendly Greek spectators who are so proud of their history & culture & have kept this tradition & theatre intact. The play was in Greek (with English subtitles) & the performances were amazing. The colors of the setting sun right at the start of the play made it extra special & our experience magical.

1 1/2 lbs roma tomatoes, finely chopped

1 1/4 cups flour or as needed

4 scallions, finely chopped (greens and whites)

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Chives, as needed

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 tbsp dried oregano

1/4 cup vegan feta, crumbled (optional)

Olive oil for pan-frying, as needed

Makes about 15

1. In a large bowl, combine the onions, scallions, jalapeño, all the herbs, and tomatoes.

2. Season with salt and pepper

3. Stir in dried oregano, crumbled vegan feta

4. Spoon the flour into the tomato-herb mixture, a little at a time, while mixing gently. You will need a thick batter which can be spooned easily to a flat skillet for shallow frying. I would describe the consistency somewhere between dough and batter, easy to spoon and still somewhat holding shape when placed on the skillet

5. Heat olive oil in a flat skillet (preferably a non-stick one), about 350 F. A cast iron skillet will give you a crisp exterior and that is totally addictive!
   Working quickly, drop a couple of spoons of the batter onto the skillet, gently flatten the top

6. Cook until the bottoms are deep golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed 

7. Using a thin spatula, gently flip the fritters and cook until the other side is deep golden brown too.

8. Transfer the fritters to a wire rack. 

9. Repeat with the remaining mixture. 

Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce or vegan yogurt

*I love the flavor of olive oil here but make sure the oil doesn’t get too hot. Olive oil has low smoke point and will overheat easily. Feel free to use any other oil like grape seed oil, canola. You just need a small quantity anyway.

*If the batter doesn’t come together easily, you can add a few drops of water. All the wetness of the batter comes from the tomatoes, so it depends on how ripe and juicy your tomatoes are.

*The vegan feta is entirely optional but highly recommended

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