Greek Squash Fritters

You can make these with either summer squash or zucchini or a combination. The addition of feta and ground walnuts gives them enough protein to make a main dish. A bit of yogurt or sour cream on top is nice. I served these for dinner, but they could do for brunch as well.

2 lbs summer squash or zucchini, shredded
Salt
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup walnuts, ground or finely chopped
5-6 ounces crumbled feta
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
2 eggs, beaten
Olive oil
Plain yogurt or sour cream for topping

Place the shredded squash in a colander and sprinkle liberally with salt. Stir to mix the salt in, then let sit in the sink or over a bowl for 10-15 minutes to release excess liquid. Press out as much extra liquid as possible using your hands or a dish towel.

Place the drained squash in a large mixing bowl. Add the onion, walnuts, feta, oregano, parsley, and pepper and mix well. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, then stir again to coat. Add the eggs and stir to coat again.

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet or two. Drop spoonfuls of the squash mixture into the hot pan, flattening to no more than 1/2-inch thick. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, then carefully flip and cook the other side. Keep cooked fritters warm on a covered plate or low oven.

Serve hot. Pass yogurt or sour cream at the table for topping.

Serves 4-6.

Greek Pasta with Chard, Tomatoes, and Dill

Dill and feta give this pasta dish a Greek flair.  It's loaded with greens, which are coming in fast and furious at this point in the season.

1 lb cut pasta (e.g. shells, rotini, etc)
Olive oil
1/2 cup chopped scapes
1 lb chard, well chopped
3 cups cooked chickpeas
3 cups chopped tomatoes (canned, or use fresh peeled paste tomatoes)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Crumbled feta for topping

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water, then drain and toss with a little olive oil.

While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Heat a little olive oil in a braising pan or Dutch oven.  Add the scapes and saute for 1-2 minutes, then add the chard (in batches if needed) and saute until wilted. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, and oregano and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Stir in the dill and add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the pasta and sauce together and serve. Top generously with crumbled feta at the table.

Serves about 6.

Greek Roasted Green Beans

Use fresh or frozen beans for this. If using frozen ones, thaw them first and drain off the excess water. In summer, make this with fresh beans and fresh herbs.

1 lb green beans, stemmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried lemon zest (or fresh if you have it)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried dill
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the green beans with the other ingredients. Place in a roasting pan and roast for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot.

Serves about 4.

Greek Tomato Cucumber Salad

It's high season for tomatoes and cukes, and our garden is overflowing with both. This is a favorite way to use a lot at once. Use the most flavorful tomatoes you can get your hands on. I like to use a combination of different colors for the effect.

4 cups chopped cucumbers
4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup minced red onion

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss.

The amounts here are pretty arbitrary--you could easily increase or decrease the amount of veggies, and adjust the other ingredients accordingly.

For a different presentation, you could also slice the vegetables and arrange them on a platter, then sprinkle the other ingredients over them.