Recipe: Easy cauliflower fritters

 SNACK ON THESE: Tasty and easy - these cauliflower fritters are perfect for a light Sunday lunch.


Fritters are always a favourite and these prove just how delicious the humble cauliflower can be. 

NEED TO KNOW

Main ingredient	Cauliflower
Type of dish	Canapes
Course	Finger food
Cooking time	30 min - 1 hour
Serves/makes	16 fritters
Special options	Kid-friendly

 Ingredients

1 large cauliflower (1.4kg), cut into florets
1⁄4 cup pine nuts
1⁄3 cup olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup flour
11⁄2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
1 cup finely grated parmesan
1⁄2 cup semi-dried or sundried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves
1 egg, lightly beaten
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 handfuls baby spinach leaves
shaved parmesan and basil leaves to serve

 Method

1. Simmer the cauliflower in a pan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash coarsely. Reserve.
2. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a frying pan over medium heat until golden then remove to a board and chop. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in the frying pan. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes or until soft. Add the onion, pine nuts, flour, breadcrumbs, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, basil and egg to the cauliflower.
3. Stir until well combined then taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Shape 1⁄4 cupfuls of the mixture into fritters and put on a large plate.
4. Heat 2 more tablespoons of oil in the frying pan. Cook the fritters, in batches, for 3 minutes each side or until golden and heated through. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.
5. Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened. Add the spinach and 1 tablespoon water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes or until the spinach has just wilted.
6. Put the fritters on 4 serving plates and sprinkle with parmesan and basil then serve with the tomato mix.