Fresh and sundried tomato fritters

Beside the classic recipe of tomato fritters from Santorini Island there are other versions coming from other regions of Greece. Here is one of them which is delicious and will help you enjoy your beer even more

Recipe of Dina Nikolaou,

a prominent Head Cook and restaurateur

from "Gastronomos" magazine of "KATHIMERINI" newspaper

Ingredients (for 22-25 fritters):
1Kg of tomatoes, ripe but firm
2 medium onions, finely diced
1 tea-cup fresh mint, chopped (or 1 heaped tbsp of dry mint, crushed to powder)
1 tea-cup of sun dried tomatoes, from a jar in olive oil, well drained and chopped
1 tbsp of tomato paste
3 slices of stale bread, without the crust (about 2cm thick each)
400gr. self raising flour
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
200ml milk
salt
pepper
cooking oil for frying

Method:
Soak the bread slices into the milk and then squeeze very well between your palms so as not to leave any liquid. Put in a large mixing bowl.

Cut the tomatoes in half, take off as many of the seeds as possible and grate them inside the bowl.

Then add the sun dried tomatoes, the tomato paste, the onions, the mint, the vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the flour slowly, while you are stirring at the same time with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is a thick batter. You might not need all the flour so that's why you should add it gradually.

In a large heavy bottomed frying pan add about 3cm of cooking oil and warm it well in medium to high heat. When it is ready, get spoonfuls of the mixture and using a second spoon push the mixture so to slide into the hot oil.

Fry the tomato fritters about 2½ minutes on each side, until they get crispy and golden.

Take them out of the frying pan using a slotted spatula and let them drain on kitchen paper.

Serve them hot along with vlita(amaranth) salad with an olive/vinegar dressing.