National Fritters Day on Thursday, December 2 allows for no frittering away of time – make haste and get these morsels while they are hot!
Fritters come in a variety of forms, from morsels dipped in flavourful batters to bits of dough stuffed, or filled with delicious surprises. All are deep-fried and served with dips, drips or dustings of seasonings, sweets and sauces.
Found in cuisines all around the world, fritters are believed to have first been consumed by ancient Romans, who then introduced them to Europe. The first historical record of a fritter dates back to 1665, when Samuel Pepys – an English Member of Parliament – noted in his diary that he would be enjoying some fritters before Lent.
An extremely popular roadside snack all over South Asia, they are commonly referred to as pakora; while in France they can be called beignets. Whatever the name, these taste temptations can contain any ingredient you like - savoury or sweet – making them an extremely versatile meal choice whatever time of the day.
Try these ham, zucchini and ricotta fritters by My Kitchen Stories as a quick breakfast or lunch; not only are they gluten-free but you can add any leftover meat you like, especially that Christmas ham that lingers in the fridge over the holiday season.
These fritters taste great at room temperature and you could also substitute smoked flaked cooked salmon, or chicken instead of the ham; serve them with chutney, crushed avocado, or roast tomatoes.
The best thing is you can make the mixture a day ahead and cook the fritters when you like - you can have breakfast all ready to go in the fridge.
