This tasty recipe, from Feast with Sababa: Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Food, by Tal Smith, R310, (Jacana Media), is perfect served as a canape or small starter

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 onions, sliced
  • Canola oil for frying
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1kg Swiss chard
  • 4 eggs
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 2t baking powder
  • 100g ricotta
  • 100g Danish feta

METHOD

  1. Start by frying the onions in 2T oil with some salt and pepper until soft and caramel brown.
  2. Wash the Swiss chard well and then cook it in 2T oil in a pot until it wilts.
  3. Leave it to cool down in a colander and then squeeze out any excess liquid.
  4. Chop it up finely and then combine it with the onions, eggs, flour, baking powder and cheese.
  5. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
  6. Heat a non-stick frying pan with a little oil.
  7. Place 1T of the mixture into the pan.
  8. Leave it to cook for a minute until slightly golden and firm, flip the fritter over and continue cooking on the other side.
  9. Remove the fritter from the pan and place it on a paper towel.
  10. It is always a good idea to fry one fritter first and check the seasoning before frying the whole batch. If you are happy with the flavour, continue cooking the fritters until all the mixture has been used up.

Cook’s Note: This recipe also works without the cheese.

(Makes about 30 fritters)