Spaghetti Squash Fritters

One cold yet sunny morning in the dead of winter, I glanced over to my produce basket on my dining table… onion, garlic, butternut squash, apples…spaghetti squash… and another spaghetti squash. It’s safe to say I got overwhelmed with how much produce I had and was worried about how I would use it all before they went bad.

Enter: Spaghetti Squash Fritters. Thinking of the stringy interior (and the fact that I hate the idea of using it in place of the beautiful, holy carby product that is the one and only pasta noodle) I tried to think of how this could be reinvented into more of a hand held snack.

Inspired by the latke, these spaghetti squash fritters are a perfect appetizer, side dish, or snack for any day. Serve it with apple sauce, tzatziki, or even a soy sauce-tahini dipping sauce (see notes).

Now heat up your cast iron and enjoy!

Latkes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 spaghetti squash, (about 220g of cooked and shredded flesh)

• 1 potato, peeled and shredded

• 1 egg (or 1 egg substitute such as Just EGG)

• 4-6 tablespoons all-purpose flour (additional 1 tablespoon if the mixture is too moist)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon Berber seasoning (or curry powder)

• 1/2 teaspoon Guntur Sannam Shili (or cayenne pepper)

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point)

{Toppings/Dippings}

• Soy Sauce-Tahini Dipping Sauce

• Sesame Seeds

• Scallions/Chives

• Apple Sauce

• Sour Cream (or Tzatziki)

• Spicy Harissa

• Flakey Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS :

1. Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

2. While the oven preheats, slice the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds (save them to roast and snack on). Pierce the skin of the squash a couple of times on both sides with a fork.

3. Brush on 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the flesh of both sides of the squash. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Place face/flesh down on a baking tray and roast for 25-35 minutes. Once cooked, remove/shred the flesh and remove it from the skin. Set aside to cool.

5. While the squash cooks, peel the potato and shred it using a box grater or food processor. Transfer the shredded potato into a cheese cloth (or fine mesh cloth) to wring out any moisture. You want the mixture to be as dry as possible.

6. Add the egg (or egg substitute), flour, salt, pepper, and spiced (if using). Using a wooden spoon, mix until evenly incorporated.

7. Using a heavy-bottomed skillet (I prefer to use a cast-iron skillet), heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.

8. Using a large spoon, scoop a heaping spoonful of the batter and place in the oil. Pat the mixture down into a circular shape until about 1/4”-1/2” thick.

9. Cook until golden brown on both sides (about 2-3 minutes per side).

10. Drain on a wire rack and serve immediately.

11. Top with soy sauce-tahini dip (see notes for recipe), sliced scallions, and sesame seeds. Serve with apple sauce.

12. Dive in!

Notes

Soy Sauce-Tahini Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoon tahini

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

• 1/2 tablespoon mirin

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup/agave nectar salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

• Stir until well combined. If too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time to thin.

• Adjust seasoning (salt/pepper) to your liking