🫘 Samian Chickpea Fritters with Fennel and Ouzo
🥣 Ingredients
For approximately 40 fritters
- 300 g chickpeas
- 6 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 1 dry onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- ½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
- ½ bunch fennel, roughly chopped
- ½ tbsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
- 1 tomato, grated
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 4 tbsp ouzo
- About 350 ml chickpea soaking water
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil for frying
Optional for serving
- Fresh fennel
- Armogalo or yoghurt
🌿 Crispy outside, fragrant and soft inside
Chickpea fritters are one of those dishes where simple ingredients gain a completely different character through fresh herbs and proper frying.
In the Samian version, soaked chickpeas are combined with spring onions, dry onion, garlic, parsley, fennel, fennel seeds, tomato and lemon zest, while a little ouzo intensifies the aromas of fennel and anise.
The result is a batch of small golden fritters with a crisp exterior and a soft, aromatic centre — ideal as a meze or as part of a summer table.
👨🍳 Method
1. Soak the chickpeas
Place the chickpeas in plenty of water and leave them to soak for about 12 hours.
Drain them, but reserve the soaking water, as part of it will be used in the mixture.
2. Coarsely chop the chickpeas
Place the drained chickpeas in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
Do not process them into a completely smooth paste; a little texture gives the fritters a more interesting consistency.
Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Add the herbs and aromatics
Add the finely sliced spring onions, chopped dry onion, grated garlic, parsley and roughly chopped fennel.
Add the lightly crushed fennel seeds, sun-dried tomato paste, grated tomato and lemon zest.
Finally, add the ouzo, salt and pepper.
4. Prepare the thick batter
Add the flour and begin mixing.
Gradually pour in about 350 ml of the chickpea soaking water, until a very thick batter forms.
The mixture should hold on a spoon rather than spread like a thin batter.
5. Fry
Heat plenty of olive oil in a deep frying pan.
When the oil is hot, carefully drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan.
Fry a few at a time, turning them so they become evenly golden on both sides.
Keep the oil sufficiently hot so the fritters develop a crisp crust without absorbing too much oil.
6. Drain
Remove the fritters with a slotted spoon and place them on absorbent kitchen paper.
Leave them for a few minutes before serving.
🍽️ Serving
Chickpea fritters are best served hot or lukewarm, when the outside remains crisp and the inside is still soft.
They can be served with fresh fennel leaves and, optionally, with a creamy cheese such as armogalo or with yoghurt.
If fennel seeds are unavailable, anise seeds can be used instead for a similar aromatic profile.
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