Zucchini Pancakes

Nicole Jolly from True Food TV is a food expert who has produced a series of videos called "How Does it Grow" about different agricultural products. Her episode on extra virgin olive oil, as well as the companion piece on olive oil cooking tips and uses, are not to be missed--you'll find links below. NAOOA was a supporter for both of those productions.

As part of her homage to olive oil, Nicole also created a video recipe for zucchini pancakes which are pan fried in extra virgin olive oil. 

Zucchini are currently in season and this is a great recipe to use this variety of summer squash that might be growing in your home garden or found at local farmers' markets. Nicole guides us through creating this recipe at home in this video. 

RECIPE

This recipe makes approx 12 pancakes.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs zucchini (2 medium or 3 small)
• 1 cup flour (or gluten-free alternative)
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup herbs 
• 6-8 oz crumbled feta
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying
• Salt

Instructions:

1. With the largest hole of a box grater, grate the zucchini.  Season with salt. Squeeze as much water out of the zucchini as you can with your hands (or you can try enclosing the grated zucchini in a thin clean dish towel and wringing the water out), and then add to a large mixing bowl.
2. Quickly whip the eggs and add them to the bowl along with the remaining ingredients (flour, herbs and feta). Mix with a spoon until the ingredients are evenly distributed and you can no longer see any dry bits of flour.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and when it’s hot, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Using a large spoon, drop a spoonful of zucchini batter into the oil and use the back of the spoon to spread the batter out to roughly 1/4 inch thickness.
4. Flip each pancake when the bottom is golden brown and does not stick to the pan. When the second side is also golden, transfer to a plate or a cooling rack lined with paper towel.
5. Serve the pancakes with yogurt or sour cream.

If you enjoyed this video, as promised here are the links to Nicole's two other videos about olive oil.

The first is an entertaining and educational masterpiece on how extra virgin olive oil is produced.

In the second video, Nicole provides more info on the use and storage of olive oil. Many people believe that it is not a good idea to cook with extra virgin olive oil. Several scientific studies have proven over the years that this myth is simply untrue. Not only is EVOO safe to cook with, but it is the most stable and safest cooking oil available. Furthermore, not only does extra virgin olive oil retain its health benefits when used for cooking, it helps your body absorb the vitamins and antioxidants in the vegetables in your recipes. Nicole busts the "you can't cook with it" myth along with others in this video.