Recipe: Parsnip Fritters

Makes six 4-inch cakes.

Some older recipes for these fritters call for the roots to be boiled, mashed and then mixed with eggs and flour. I have had more savory results mixing raw, grated parsnips with the other ingredients in the manner of potato latkes and frying them in butter or oil.

1 medium egg

1 pound parsnips, peeled and grated

¼ cup flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter or oil

1. Preheat a griddle or a large cast-iron skillet over medium high heat.

2. Crack the egg into a small mixing bowl, beat it lightly, then stir in the grated parsnip.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Stir the dry ingredients into the parsnip and egg mixture.

4. Put the butter in teaspoon-sized pats on the griddle and scoop 1/3 cup of batter on top of each butter pat. Flatten the scoops slightly to form six 4-inch cakes. Allow the fritters to sizzle gently in the butter or oil until they are well-browned and crisp on the underside, about 5 minutes. Turn the fritters and cook 3 minutes more or until they are cooked through.

Copyright Greg Atkinson, 2006