Pancakes

We had a major heat wave during Pesach: the kind of day when you don’t even want to step into the kitchen, let alone turn on the stove.

A fresh green salad was definitely in order for dinner, but what could we have with it that wouldn’t take hours in the kitchen?

From the refrigerator, a small container of cooked beet greens was my inspiration: PANCAKES!

Mention pancakes and most of us think of breakfast.

But vegetable pancakes are especially popular in Sephardic cuisine – spinach, chard and leek patties for example. Corn fritters are an American favorite.

Vegetable pancakes can be a good way to get children to eat vegetables, especially if you make them small and let the children eat them with their fingers.

My recipe started with about half a cup of chopped beet greens previously cooked with onion and garlic. I added an egg and about 1/3 of a cup of matzah cake meal, salt, pepper and a dash of cinnamon.

Try cooked spinach, chard, broccoli or raw grated zucchini. Add an egg or two, flour to bind the ingredients and fresh or dry herbs. Sauté in a small amount of olive oil and enjoy!

Zucchini Pancakes (Dairy)

1 ½ pounds zucchini
6 scallions, thinly sliced or ½ small onion, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill
8 ounces feta cheese (I use 5% fat Bulgarian cheese)
1 teaspoon paprika
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
3 eggs, beaten
Olive oil for frying

Grate the zucchini coarsely. (A food processor works well.) Add the scallions, dill, cheese, paprika, flour and eggs.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. (I use a non-stick pan.) Drop the zucchini mixture by large tablespoons and spread them out to make thin patties. Cook until crisp and brown on both sides.