Tomatokeftedes (Τοματοκεφτέδες) — Santorini Tomato Fritters with Herbs

• 500 gSantorini-style ripe tomatoes (very ripe, grated) (If unavailable, use ripe Roma tomatoes and grate; discard most skins.)
• 120 gYellow onion (finely grated)
• 60 gScallions (thinly sliced)
• 12 gFresh mint (finely chopped)
• 10 gFresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 2 tspDried oregano
• 6 gFine sea salt
• 1 tspGround black pepper
• 140 gAll-purpose flour (Add only if needed for a thick, spoonable batter.)
• 1 tspBaking powder
• 15 mlExtra-virgin olive oil (Adds flavor; do not skip.)
• 300 mlOlive oil (for frying) (Use a light olive oil or a mild olive oil suitable for frying.)
• 200 gGreek yogurt (Optional but traditional as a cooling dip.)
• 4 wedgeLemon wedges

Instructions

1. 1

   Grate the tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl, stopping when you reach the skins. If the mixture looks very watery, let it sit 5 minutes and spoon off 60 ml of excess liquid so the batter won’t turn thin.

2. 2

   Add the grated onion, sliced scallions, mint, parsley, and oregano to the tomatoes and stir well. Mix in the salt, black pepper, baking powder, and 15 ml extra-virgin olive oil, then rest the mixture for 5 minutes so the herbs perfume the tomato base.

3. 3

   Sprinkle in the flour and fold until you have a thick, spoonable batter that mounds on a spoon. If it still runs like soup, add 20 g more flour and mix again, repeating once if needed; the goal is a batter that holds its shape for frying.

4. 4

   Pour 300 ml frying olive oil into a wide skillet to a depth of about 1.5 cm and heat to 175°C. If you do not have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter; it should sizzle immediately and float within 2–3 seconds without burning.

5. 5

   Scoop heaping tablespoons of batter and carefully slide them into the oil, frying in batches of 6–8 fritters so the pan temperature stays steady. Fry 2–3 minutes per side until deeply golden with crisp edges, then transfer to a rack or paper-lined tray to drain for 2 minutes.

6. 6

   Serve the tomatokeftedes hot while the crust is crisp and the centers are tender. Offer Greek yogurt and lemon wedges alongside, and squeeze 1 lemon wedge over each portion for brightness just before eating.