Zucchini stars in baked pancake with yogurt
I originally came up with this savory skillet pancake as a way to make a dent in the many pounds of zucchini a friend gave me from her garden, but it is now a perennial favorite.
In it, shredded zucchini, the star here, is mixed with just enough egg and flour to bind it into a tender pancake. The batter is poured into a skillet and then is baked, not fried, as zucchini pancakes tend to be, making it more healthful and far less messy than using the stovetop.
The trick to making the pancake tender — not soggy — is to salt the shredded zucchini a bit, let it drain for 15 minutes, and then squeeze as much water out of it as possible. Don’t be timid about the squeeze either — you want to put some hand pressure into it as it sits in a strainer — or you can put it into a cheesecloth and twist to expel the water.
Once baked, the pancake emerges from the oven golden and fragrant, ready to be dolloped with the most heavenly, creamy yogurtfeta sauce that is flecked with fresh dill. It makes for a wonderful brunch or lunch Big zucchini pancake with yogurt-feta sauce
main course, and it also can be served as one of an array of small plates for dinner or a party. Makes 6 servings
For the sauce:
½ cup plain Greek yogurt (whole milk or low-fat) cup crumbled feta cheese (1¾ ounces)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
fronds
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive
oil
½ small clove garlic, finely
grated or minced
For the pancake:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for coating the pan
2 medium zucchini (1 pound
total), coarsely grated ½ teaspoon kosher salt 2 large eggs
½ medium onion, coarsely grated and drained cup whole-wheat pastry a ¼ teaspoon salt in a colander set over a bowl and let drain for 15 minutes. With your hands, squeeze as much water as possible out of the zucchini.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the strained zucchini and onion. Add the flour, 1 tablespoon of oil, baking powder, the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and the pepper and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the greased skillet and spread it evenly with a spoon.
Bake, about 30 minutes, until the pancake is set in the middle, browned on the edges and golden-brown on top. Transfer the pancake to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve immediately with a dollop of the sauce on top or alongside.
The pancake is best served just-cooked, but it can be made 1 to 2 days ahead and reheated in a 350 degree oven. The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
PER SERVING: 192 calories, 10 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 8 g fat (3 g saturated), 119 mg cholesterol, 224 mg sodium