Ferla Spice Kohlrabi Fritters

Makes 6–8 fritters (3-inch diameter). 

Quickly made, pan-fried fritters are a useful addition to your culinary repertoire and a nice way to add an extra vegetable to your menu. 

These are made with kohlrabi (cauliflower’s alien-looking cousin). When raw, kohlrabi is crunchy and mildly cabbage-y tasting — cooked its surprisingly sweet side shines forth.

For these fritters, we use Ferla Spice and umami-rich Parmesan to balance kohlrabi’s sweetness. The fritters are golden and crispy outside, tender inside. We top them with a refreshing gremolata and a bit of crème fraîche, but they’re also delicious served with marinara sauce.

For the fritters:
1 kohlrabi (about ¾ pound), peeled
¾ cup fresh breadcrumbs
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Ferla Spice, lightly crushed
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon Sicilian chile flakes, or to taste (optional)
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Neutral-tasting oil, such as canola or avocado, for frying

For the gremolata:
2 tablespoons minced parsley
3 strips lemon peel (no white pith), minced
1 scallion, white and light green parts, minced
Pinch of salt 

To serve:
½ cup crème fraîche

Grate the kohlrabi on the large holes of a box grater (you should net about 3 cups). Transfer the grated kohlrabi to the center of a clean tea towel; gather up the edges and squeeze dry (don’t be shy — SQUEEZE!).

Put the kohlrabi into a large mixing bowl and add the breadcrumbs, cheese, flour, salt, and spices. Toss to combine (salad tongs work well for this task). Add the eggs and stir until the kohlrabi mixture is evenly moistened. Cover and set aside (or refrigerate) for 15-20 minutes. 

While the kohlrabi mixture rests, make the gremolata by mixing the parsley, lemon peel, scallion, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Set a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to cover the bottom by about 1/8-inch. When the oil shimmers, add a 1/3-cup scoop of the kohlrabi mixture to the pan, flatten it slightly with the back of a spoon, and repeat until you have 4–5 fritters in the pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan — you want 1½ to 2 inches between fritters. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown, then flip the fritters over and cook the other side until golden, 3–4 minutes each side. Transfer the fritters to a cooling rack. Cook the remaining kohlrabi mixture in the same way. 

Arrange the fritters on a serving platter. Liberally sprinkle with the gremolata and serve with the crème fraîche along side.