Turkish Mucver (Zucchini Pancakes) with Garlic Yogurt

About This Recipe

Mucver is a staple of Turkish home cooking, especially in summer when zucchini is abundant and cooks need a fast way to use up a glut of it. Grated zucchini is salted to pull out excess water, mixed with egg, flour, dill and crumbled feta, then pan-fried into crisp, savory pancakes that are equally at home as a light lunch, a meze spread starter, or a side dish.\n\nThe technique that decides whether mucver turns out crisp or soggy is squeezing the zucchini hard after salting it — grated zucchini holds an enormous amount of water, and skipping this step is the single most common reason home versions turn out mushy and fall apart in the pan. Once properly drained, the batter should be thick enough to hold its shape when dropped into the oil.\n\nThese are traditionally served with a garlicky yogurt sauce (sarımsaklı yoğurt) spooned over the top or served alongside for dipping, and they're just as good the next day at room temperature.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 mediumzucchini(grated)
• 1 tspfine sea salt(for draining, plus more to taste)
• 2eggs
• 0.75 cupall-purpose flour
• 150 gfeta cheese(crumbled)
• 0.5 cupfresh dill(chopped)
• 3scallions(sliced)
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.25 cupneutral oil(for frying)
• 1 cupGreek yogurt
• 2 clovesgarlic(grated)
• 1 tbsplemon juice

Instructions

1. 1

   Salt the zucchini

   Toss grated zucchini with 1 tsp salt in a colander and let sit 15 minutes to release water.

2. 2

   Squeeze dry

   Working in batches, squeeze the zucchini firmly with your hands or a clean towel until it's noticeably drier and much less watery.

   Squeeze harder than feels necessary — you should end up with roughly half the volume you started with. This is the step that determines whether the pancakes crisp up.

3. 3

   Make the batter

   In a bowl, combine drained zucchini, eggs, flour, feta, dill, scallions and black pepper. Mix until just combined into a thick, scoopable batter.

4. 4

   Fry the pancakes

   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop heaped tablespoons of batter into the oil, flattening slightly, and fry 2-3 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

5. 5

   Make the garlic yogurt

   Stir yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice and a pinch of salt together in a small bowl.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve the pancakes warm with the garlic yogurt spooned over the top or on the side.

Variations

• •

  Add grated carrot alongside the zucchini for extra color and a touch of sweetness.

• •

  Swap feta for a mix of feta and parmesan for a saltier, more savory pancake.

• •

  Bake instead of fry: spread thinner cakes on a parchment-lined sheet and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes, flipping halfway, for a lighter version.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a dry skillet or oven to re-crisp — microwaving makes them soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions