Zucchini-Chickpea Tots

In praise of finger food

Zucchini Chickpea Tots | Dara O’Brien

By Dara O’Brien
Creative Director, Lake Isle Press

Hosting any kind of bash in my hometown of New York City comes with challenges. Many New Yorkers have a friend network that spreads far and wide. That translates to Brooklynites who don’t want to trek into Manhattan, Upper West Siders who dread the schlep to Astoria, and don’t get me started on Staten Island. Plus, many New Yorkers live in apartments that are a fraction of the size of those of their suburban counterparts.

My greatest hosting challenge is, indeed, my location. I have only two friends who live within walking distance of my apartment. Many live 45 minutes to an hour away. But my location is also an advantage: my place is big enough to fit a dining table, and my kitchen is large enough to afford easy party prep. So, I party on.

Lately, I’ve been intrigued by the concept of a grazing table, but that type of party tends to work best as a prelude to or follow-up after another event, not as an event in itself. A dinner party has an arc— the cocktail hour, the appetizers, the dinner, the dessert — built into it. A grazing party has no arc, all the drama hits your guests the second they arrive.

That’s why if I’m looking for a walk-in-the-door wow factor, I prefer a grazing board to a grazing table; something to serve as a first course rather than the whole enchilada. That leaves room for a finger food/fork-friendly second course to supplement or replace it — not too heavy, but enough to give the impact of “dinner is served.” The evening tells a story over time.

These little Zucchini-Chickpea Tots would fit right into that second course. They fit into a lot of other occasions, too. I’ve had them for breakfast, as a snack, as a side dish, and as an appetizer. The recipe is by Camilla V. Saulsbury from “The Chickpea Flour Cookbook,” published by Lake Isle Press. Like her Parmesan Broccoli Bites and Power Veggie Fritters, they are easy finger food, veggie-forward (eggs and cheese substitutes can make them vegan), and very tasty indeed.

I’ve made these tots a few times and they were always good, but practice made perfect. Tucking the zucchini into a piece of cheesecloth, twisting the ends tightly to make a sack and squeezing the liquid out with my hands released more liquid than wringing it in a dishtowel and made for a thicker batter. If the last remnants of the batter seem a little runny, add a bit of flour. When I portioned a tablespoon of batter, the tots were closer in size to small fritters; a half tablespoon made them more bite-sized. Turning them midway through baking led to better all-around browning.

They’re great for dipping; I tried them with marinara and with harissa mayo and both were delicious Or you might try tzatziki, lemon yogurt, avocado sour cream, soy, or garlic aioli, to name a few other saucy ideas. The chickpea flour lends a special savory taste, and it’s well worth trying if you’ve never used it before.

Even with no guests coming by, there’s something celebratory about these little bites. They’re like eating a cookie or a chip that is actually good for you. They are easy to make, you can freeze them for later if you want, and you can serve them in many different ways. Party on.

Zucchini-Chickpea Tots

Click here for printable recipe.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups packed shredded zucchini
2 large eggs
½ cup (60 grams)chickpea flour
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup finely chopped onion
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Makes 6 servings

PREPARATION

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Place the zucchini in a clean kitchen towel. Twist the ends together and squeeze as much excess liquid from the zucchini as possible; discard liquid.

  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, salt, baking soda, and pepper until blended and smooth. Stir in the onion, Parmesan cheese, and zucchini until blended.

  4. Drop heaping tablespoons of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet (mixture will be somewhat wet). With moistened fingertips, press each mound into an oval shape.

  5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.

Tip
Other varieties of squash, such as yellow (crookneck) squash or pattypan squash can be used in place of the zucchini.

Make It Vegan!
Replace the eggs with 2 psyllium “eggs” and replace the Parmesan with ⅓ cup nutritional yeast flakes.

Recipe from “The Chickpea Flour Cookbook” by Camilla V. Saulsbury, Lake Isle Press, 2015

Dara O'Brien4 Comments