Domatokeftedes, Santorini Baked Tomato Fritters
Domatokeftedes are the tomato fritters of Santorini, where the volcanic soil grows a tiny, intense tomato and cooks turn a glut of them into fritters bound with flour and herbs, then fried. They are high summer food, built for when tomatoes are ripe enough to be sweet on their own. The move here is to grate the tomatoes and drain them hard, because the whole dish lives or dies on moisture: too wet and the fritters spread and steam, too dry and they crumble. Ground oats and a little almond flour take the place of the usual white flour and swell into a batter that holds together in a hot oven, which browns the edges without the pan of oil. Mint and oregano are not optional; they are what makes the fritters read as Greek. Eat them with lemon or a cool yogurt dip.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Fresh tomatoes, ripe, grated, drained
- 1/2 whole Red onions, grated
- 3 tbsp Mint, chopped
- 3 tbsp Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 3/4 cup Rolled oats, ground to a coarse flour
- 1/4 cup Almond flour
- 1/4 tsp Black peppercorns, ground
Method
- Grate the tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater and let them drain in a sieve for 10 minutes, pressing lightly. Santorini tomatoes are small and dense, but supermarket tomatoes hold more water, and a wet batter will not hold its shape or brown. Save the drained juice for a soup or to sip; it is pure summer.
- Grate the onion and stir it into the drained tomato with the mint, parsley, oregano, and black pepper. Grating rather than chopping the onion releases its juice into the batter so its sweetness runs all the way through, the way it does in the island originals.
- Fold in the ground oats and almond flour and let the batter sit 10 minutes. The oats swell and drink up the last of the loose moisture, binding the fritters where a Santorini cook would use wheat flour. It should hold a soft mound on a spoon; add a spoonful more oats if it slumps.
- Heat the oven to 425 F (220 C) and line a tray. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter and flatten each into a thick disc. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until browned and set. Frying is traditional, but a hot oven crisps the edges with no oil and the same sweet, caramelized flavor.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, with a squeeze of lemon or a spoon of tzatziki. They are a summer meze, made when tomatoes are at their heaviest and cheapest.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 145 calories, 4 g protein, 4 g fiber, 20 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
