Domatokeftedes
Ντοματοκεφτέδες·(do-mah-to-kef-TEH-des)
Nistisima (The Fasting Table)
The batter sits on the counter, a wet, fragrant tangle of beefsteak tomatoes, red onion, chopped mint, and flour bleeding together, born of necessity on the parched volcanic soil of Santorini. These fritters are ragged, dense, and sharply acidic. There is no feta here, and there are no eggs. It is just the intense sweetness of tomatoes, wild herbs, and flour, adhering to Orthodox lenten rules. Skip the box grater: you must chop the tomatoes by hand with a knife, and you must let the batter rest so the natural acids break down the raw onion. Armed with a pinch of cinnamon, drop the wet dough into the pan, where the batter hisses in a quarter-inch of hot olive oil. Pull these from the hot oil when their edges turn entirely black, and eat them straight out of the pan.
Before you start
Salt and drain the diced tomatoes.
Place the hand-diced tomatoes in a mesh strainer set over a bowl, toss with the kosher salt, and let sit for 5 minutes to release their water. Gently press them and reserve the liquid in the bowl below for adjusting the batter later.
Macerate the aromatics.
Transfer the drained tomatoes to a large bowl and toss with the onion, scallions, spearmint, parsley, oregano, pepper, and cinnamon. Let this mixture sit on the counter for at least 20 to 30 minutes so the tomato acids can properly soften the harsh bite of the raw onion.
Ingredients
- cherry or Roma tomatoes1 lb
- yellow onion1 med
- scallions3 med
- fresh spearmint leaves1/2 cup
- fresh parsley1/4 cup
- dried Greek oregano1 tbsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- ground cinnamon1/4 tsp
- all-purpose flour1 1/4 cup
- baking powder1 tsp
- sunflower or canola oil1 cup
- olive oil3 tbsp
Method
- 01
Build the batter.
Whisk together 1 cup of the flour and the baking powder, then gently fold it into the rested tomato mixture using a spoon. You want a thick, chunky batter that holds its shape on a spoon; if it is too loose, add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour, or if too dry, add a splash of the reserved tomato water.
- 02
Heat the frying oils.
Place a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and pour in the sunflower oil to a depth of half an inch, spiking it with the olive oil for flavor. Heat until a tiny drop of batter immediately sizzles and floats to the top.
- 03
Fry the fritters.
Drop generous tablespoons of the batter directly into the hot oil, letting them fall naturally from the spoon rather than rolling them into uniform balls. Fry 4 or 5 at a time for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden and shatteringly crisp on their jagged edges.
- 04
Drain and serve.
Transfer the cooked fritters to a wire cooling rack set over paper towels, sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt, and serve immediately.
Notes
The rule of the knife.
Never use a blender, food processor, or grater for the tomatoes. Hand-dicing preserves the structural integrity of the flesh, which is essential to prevent a watery batter and guarantee distinct bursts of cooked tomato in the finished fritter.
The grandmother's secret.
The scant pinch of cinnamon is an old-world trick that enhances the natural sweetness of American supermarket tomatoes to mimic the intense, sun-stressed fruit of Santorini.
From Cook Greek in America.