Greek zucchini balls are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, flavored with salty feta and fresh mint. Perfect as a light meal or party appetizer.
Wash the zucchini and cut off the ends, but do not peel. Grate with a food processor or box grater. Put the grated zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and mix to coat evenly. Place the colander in the sink and let the zucchini drain for 15-30 minutes. Gently squeeze the zucchini with your hands to remove as much water as possible.
While the zucchini is draining, combine the eggs, green onion, mint, feta, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add the drained zucchini. Mix in enough self-rising flour to make a soft dough, about 1 1/2 cups.
Deep fryer cooking instructions: If using a deep fryer, preheat the oil, preferably olive oil, to 375°F. Line a large plate with 3-4 layers of paper towel.
Drop the dough, one tablespoon at a time, into the hot oil, trying to keep the dough in a ball shape. Fry 4 or 5 zucchini balls at a time for 2-3 minutes, until they are medium golden brown. Turn the zucchini balls with tongs as necessary evenly.
Remove the zucchini balls from the hot oil with tongs, a slotted spoon or a spider strainer. Place them on the paper towel-lined plate to drain away excess oil.
Stovetop cooking instructions: If cooking the zucchini balls on the stovetop, put about 1/3 inch of olive oil in the bottom of a 12-inch skillet, and heat over medium-high heat to 375°F.
If you don't have a frying thermometer, you can test the temperature of the oil by dropping in a small amount of batter. The batter should start to bubble and sizzle right away, but the oil should not be smoking hot.
When the oil is hot, drop tablespoons of batter into the oil. Zucchini balls will have more of a patty or fritter shape if cooked in a skillet. Cook 4-5 zucchini balls at a time, about 2 minutes on each side, until medium golden brown. Flip the zucchini balls with tongs halfway through the cooking time. Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate to cool.