Fried potatoes are one of my favorite things in life. I can’t think of many things I crave more than french fries, curly fries, tater tots, or potato latkes. This week was filled with take out meals from local Maine fried fish restaurants. So I ate plenty of french fries. Yet, I still wanted to make something crispy, starchy, and savory for my recipe of the week. After a trip to the farmers market and a local farm stand, I decided to pick up a gorgeous trio of green zucchinis to make zucchini and potato latkes.

Zucchini and Potato Latkes

I first made latkes when I was a teenager. On one quiet morning off from school, during winter break. I remember binging TV shows, wearing new pajamas, and standing in front of a spitting hot pan of oil. Always craving comfort food. So I fried up a whole plate of latkes to eat for my brunch after sleeping in. I served them on a paper towel-lined paper plate and ate them in bed. They were life-changing. I still like to make them during the winter holidays.

This week I was craving something crispy, simple, and savory. But I was worried about finding the time to make something fancy. My family has been visiting from Florida. It was a great surprise with short notice, and I got to meet my cousin’s 1 1/2 year old son. Who is completely adorable, sweet, and obsessed with french fries. We spent most of the week visiting with them, checking out the new renovated playground. Old restaurants. It was a week filled with nostalgia and joy and good food.

Italian Fried Zucchini

So, even after eating takeout at my cousin’s Airbnb several times, I was craving crispy potatoes. But I wanted something summery and fresh to celebrate the abundance of fresh produce at the farmers market. I was determined to make something with beets, or zucchini, so I picked up both. Bouncing back and forth between green and pink recipe ideas. My mom suggested I make zucchini and potato latkes, which I hadn’t considered. Mixing the starchy potatoes and fresh zucchini together into a latke mix sounded heavenly.

The idea reminded me of one of my favorite dishes I tried in Italy, zucchini fritti. Squash blossoms stuffed with cheese and fried in a crispy, light batter. The flavors of fresh summery zucchini, cheese, garlic, and salt are so Italian to me. So I decided to go with my mom’s idea, dreaming of a crispy, savory latke for a weekend breakfast treat. I love to make poached eggs with latkes and serve them like crispy potato Benedicts. So, I picked up zucchini after my family left to go home and found some russet potatoes.

Grating Zucchini and Potatoes

I started my zucchini and potato latkes by prepping a few bowls and kitchen towels. I also dug out my favorite potato peeler from the knife drawer and got to work stripping the verdant, spotted zucchini skins and dusty brown potatoes. The naked spuds rested in a bowl of cold water to stop them from oxidizing. And I started by grating my zucchini into a large, clean kitchen towel. I felt hypnotized by the rhythm of gliding the green vegetables across a box grater and watched them pile up zucchini after zucchini.

Then, I grated my potatoes on top. Finally I banged my box grater onto the counter to remove stubborn shreds of vegetables and gathered my bounty up into a tight ball of kitchen towel. Then, in the sink, I squeezed as hard as I could. I probably have terrible grip strength, since I’ve had loose joints and elbow injuries my whole life. I also get carpal tunnel in my wrists when I cook too much, so I stubbornly kept squeezing through the pain.

Mixing Savory Latkes

After a few minutes of struggling and straining, I decided to give up when the juice stopped dripping. If you have trouble like me, you can just add a little corn starch or flour to your grated vegetables if they’re slightly wet. When I unraveled the towel, I had a sphere of dry vegetable shreds that fell quickly into my clean bowl. I scraped the rest out with my hands. And after a few minutes of cleaning and placing my kitchen towel outside to dry, I felt excited to carry on with my zucchini and potato latkes.

Normally I just freestyle potato latkes. With garlic, whatever cheeses I have on hand for extra flavor and crisp, plenty of salt, an egg for binding, and a heap of panko breadcrumbs. The seasoned kind that comes in a can. I also sometimes add Italian breadcrumbs because they’re filled with good herbs. This time I mixed my zucchini and potato latkes mixture with an egg, chopped garlic, parmesan, a little shredded cheddar, breadcrumbs, and lemon zest. I also added some tarragon and lemon juice for flavor.

Frying Zucchini and Potato Latkes

After mixing it all up with a chopstick, I had a bowl of potato and zucchini strands with so many flavorful accompaniments. I could smell the garlic, the seasonings, the lemon, and the earthy, fresh zucchini. The next step was to cook my zucchini and potato latkes in a hot pan with a little oil. And I thought back to a box of latkes I tried from a Jewish deli in Portland one winter, which I shared with friends. They were more like mounds, or pucks, unlike my usual flat and crispy latkes. Which I really loved. They had a more creamy and savory center and more meatiness that I really enjoyed.

So I measured my pucks of zucchini and potato latkes in a ring mold, filling each with about two heaping spoonfuls of latke mixture. I pressed into the mold firmly to set the shape and cooked them in a shallow pool of hot vegetable oil in a sauté pan. I don’t think this is one of the recipes that’s better deep-fried. They’d probably get too oily. And honestly, I really enjoy the process of watching the edges of my zucchini and potato latkes as they brown. Like a man on a Sunday with nowhere to go, enjoying the slowness of life and the magic of cooking.

A Crispy, Savory Brunch

I like that they’re less oily this way too. And after just a few minutes on each side, my zucchini and potato latkes were crispy, golden, and fragrant. To keep them even less oily, I drain them on a baking sheet of paper towels. And I sprinkled them with a little salt. They cooked 3 at a time, and I delighted in the slowness of my afternoon. I had Wimbledon on in the background. I watered my plants. Fed myself. And caught up on some podcasts.

I couldn’t wait to try one. So, since it was still around brunch time, I put two on a small plate and sat in the living room with a fork. Darting my eyes between my golden zucchini and potato latkes, wafting with a heavenly, savory smell. And the tennis match. My favorite tennis player, Carlos Alcaraz, made his third straight Wimbledon final. The excitement almost eclipsed the deliciousness of my recipe. The latkes are creamy and tender on the inside. The outside is well-crisped, crunchy, golden, and caramelized. The flavor is filled with fresh, earthy zucchini, accentuated by the tarragon. I also tasted pops of lemon, cheese, and garlic.

Summer Basil and Zucchini

They are so savory and delicious. And I could eat them every day for breakfast. I love the addition of the zucchini, which cuts down their richness for a more complex treat. They’re also a little healthier. I might like them more than regular latkes. After I rested a bit and watched more tennis, I got an idea. I wanted a more exciting presentation than just a plain golden latke on a plate. As gorgeous as they are. So, I knew I wanted to top them with a dollop of sour cream. But I couldn’t stop thinking of my fragrant, beautiful basil pots, which were nearly overflowing.

So I spent some time outside tending to my plants. My yellow Sungold tomatoes are nearly grown. My pizza oregano – a gift from a friend, is holding on for dear life. The sunflowers in the front yard are growing slowly, and my pots of Genovese basil are thriving. I like to run my fingers over them sometimes and smell the perfume. The tomato leaves smell incredible too. But I’ve been wanting to make basil oil. A bright green blend of olive oil and sweet, fragrant basil leaves. I knew it would be beautiful to top my zucchini and potato latkes with, too.

Homemade Basil Oil

So I got to work, picking a whole bunch of basil, about 2-3 cups full, on a plate. I came back inside and heated up a boiling pot of water. I readied another bowl of cold water. And I poured my green leaves into the boiling water for a couple minutes. I plunged them into the cold water to halt the cooking. And then I dried them completely on kitchen towels. All that was left to do was blend the basil together with oil. In my trusty blender cup, which has held up amazingly well over the years. I whizzed it up for 3 minutes, growing impatient, but mesmerized by the deepening green hue.

When it was done, I strained it through a couple coffee filters into a plastic cup. I’d seen so many gourmet herb oils on the fancy food side of Instagram before, but I hadn’t made a basil oil this rich and green. Not since my green basil focaccia. But I was so excited to study the glowing green liquid through the afternoon light in a translucent cup. I poured it into a funnel shortly after, into a squeeze bottle. And I was done. Ecstatic to drizzle some basil oil onto my latkes and my homemade pizza for dinner.

Delicious (Italian) Latkes

I dimpled a slight indent into a the dollop of sour cream atop my favorite latke. I carefully squeezed my basil oil into the crevice, making a bright green effervescent pool. And I finished my recipe with a basil leaf garnish. When I dug in again, I didn’t expect the oil to elevate the flavor so much. But the addition of fresh, pungent basil really complemented the earthy zucchini, lemon zest and juice, the garlic, and the parmesan. It’s the most delightful, powerful Italian bite, perfect for summer. And now I can start a tradition of making latkes twice a year.

If you make my zucchini and potato latkes, please let me know! I’m thinking about them still as I write this because they’re so damn delicious. I can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow. Poached eggs. Latkes. Basil oil. Life is good.

Thank you for reading! If you enjoy my paintings and recipes, be sure to check out my new TFR prints page, and my Etsy for 100’s more art prints and recipe cards. Be sure to use the code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off your Etsy order.

Print Pin

Zucchini and Potato Latkes

Savory potato and zucchini latkes with garlic, lemon, and basil oil

Course Appetizer, Breakfast

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword fried zucchini, latkes, zucchini

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author theforkedring

Ingredients

• 1 lb russet potatoes
• 1.5 lbs fresh zucchini
• 1 whole egg
• Zest + juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped tarragon
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

• Peel potatoes and zucchini and grate onto a large kitchen towel using a box grater.
• Wrap grated zucchini and potato in your kitchen towel and squeeze as much liquid out as you can, into your sink.
• Remove dried zucchini and potato and place into a large bowl.
• Add the egg, lemon juice and zest, tarragon, salt, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic, and Italian and panko breadcrumbs and mix until combined.
• Heat your cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Measure your latkes in 8 pucks, placing a heaping spoonful or two of mixture into a ring mold.
• Place your latkes in the hot oil using a spatula larger than the ring mold, bracing the latke from underneath. Carefully slide each latke into the hot oil and remove ring mold with tongs to keep from burning your hands.
• Cook each latke for 3-5 minutes on a side until deeply golden brown and crispy. Flip carefully and cook 3-4 minutes more on the second side.
• Transfer latkes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with a little salt to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and basil oil (1 cup of fresh basil, cooked and dried, blended with 1 cup olive oil).
• If making your own basil oil, strain through a cheesecloth after blending to remove cloudiness and basil sediment. Store in an air-tight squeeze bottle.

Notes

• Be sure not to press or force your basil oil through cheesecloth or coffee filters, as this will force the impurities through and cause cloudiness. 
• You can also cook your basil oil for a couple minutes to remove cloudiness if it persists. 
• If you prefer a smaller, crispier latke, you can cook 16-20 smaller latkes with this recipe. Just portion each with a tablespoon of batter, flattened with a spatula in the pan.