Crispy Zucchini Fritters

From the garden

• 2 large zucchini or summer squash, coarsely grated
• ¼ cup fresh herbs (dill, parsley, or basil), chopped
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

From the pantry

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup crumbled feta (optional)
• ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt — for the sauce
• 1 lemon — zest and juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil — for frying
• salt — to taste
• black pepper

1. Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater into a colander. Toss with a big pinch of salt and let it sit 10 minutes, then squeeze hard in a clean kitchen towel until no more water comes out — dry squash is the whole secret to crisp fritters.
2. Stir the squeezed zucchini together with the herbs, green onions, flour, eggs, feta if using, and a few grinds of black pepper until the mixture just holds together when pressed.
3. Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Drop quarter-cup mounds of batter, flatten gently with the back of the spoon, and fry 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden. Work in batches and don't crowd the pan.
4. While the fritters fry, stir the yogurt with the lemon zest, half the lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
5. Serve the fritters hot with the yogurt sauce and the remaining lemon in wedges. A simple salad alongside makes it a full dinner.