End-of-Summer Zucchini Omelettes

Summer is on its way out, here in Virginia.  In the mornings, we button up cardigans and light coats, and clutch mugs of warm tea.  But by the afternoon, we shed them all and run in the bright golden sunlight, kicking aside the first yellow leaves in the grass. 

While my thoughts are turning to pumpkin spice and warm apple cider, my kitchen is still full of the end-of-summer abundance:  fresh heirloom tomatoes, summer squash, bell peppers, peaches.  If you have zucchini still showing up in your garden or CSA box, here is one mighty tasty way to serve them up this week:  rounds of fried onion-scented egg fritters, full of fresh zucchini and herbs.

 

These little omelettes are not quite traditional Palestinian fare, but are a twist on the Gazan herbed omelette, Ijee.  Palestinians do serve a similar fried cauliflower omelette, but since zucchinis are still plentiful in my kitchen, this is what I am making this week.

These mild-flavored omelettes are delicious for breakfast, along with a basket of flat bread, some good olives and fresh cucumbers and tomatoes.  I love them folded into some Arabic bread with a few slices of  tomato for breakfast on-the-go.  And while they will warm up your stomach on a cool fall morning, they are also delicious cold.  This week, I think they will even find their way into my kindergartner's school lunch box! 

They are also perfect for the end of a busy weekday, when you are fresh out of dinner ideas and are considering scramble eggs and toast for dinner.  More than once have I scoured the fridge and seen a couple of zucchinis and a carton of eggs and thought:  Yes.  Supper. Twenty minutes.  Go!  You can make this meal with one pan and one bowl, and serve it with whatever you have in the fridge - some cut up vegetables, leftover rice or a little bread and you will have a nourishing and quick meal any time of the day, any day of the week. 

Zucchini Omelette

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups grated zucchini
4 eggs, beaten
4 tbsp. flour
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil or ghee

1.  In a sauté pan, heat a little olive oil or ghee over medium heat and sauté the onion for a few minutes, until softened and translucent.  Grate the zucchini and add to the onions in the pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini cooks down, releases its liquids, and becomes dry, between 5-10 minutes.  Turn off heat.

2.  While the zucchini cooks down, in a separate bowl, beat your eggs, add in chopped parsley, flour, salt and pepper.  Add zucchini mixture to your egg mixture, and stir to combine. 

3.  Wipe out your sauté pan, return to medium heat, and pour in a generous amount of olive oil, clarified butter (ghee), or a mixture of the two.  Wait until the fat heats up, and then start dropping large spoonfulls of batter into the pan, flipping once, when the first side is golden brown.  You can make small (silver dollar) fritters or larger fritters.  Remove to a towel lined plate to drain, salt, and then serve. 

Yield:  about 10 medium omelettes

Cheesy Change Up:  These also taste wonderful with a little cheese mixed in.  Try different flavors - soft goat cheese, tangy feta cheese, raw cheddar, sharp Parmesan.



Sahtain! 


Related Posts:

* Fresh Herb Gaza Omelette


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