Greek Chickpea Fritters

Imagine stepping off a ferry onto a sun-drenched Greek island, where the air is scented with wild herbs and sea salt, fishing boats gently sway in the harbor, and seaside tavernas prepare for the afternoon meal. Before the grilled fish arrives and the wine begins to flow, a platter of golden revithokeftedes (Greek chickpea fritters) is placed at the center of the table—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and impossible to resist. In Greece, fritters are more than just an appetizer; they're a celebration of whatever fresh ingredients are in season. While favorites like kolokithokeftedes (zucchini fritters) and ntomatokeftedes (tomato fritters) often steal the spotlight during the summer months, revithokeftedes are an equally delicious traditional specialty that deserves a place on every Greek table.

One of the best things about revithokeftedes is how approachable they are. Unlike many fritters that rely on peak-season produce, these can be made year-round with ingredients many cooks already have on hand.

Ingredients:

2 (15.5-ounce each) cans (880 g) chickpeas, drained of liquid
½ ounce (14 g) fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (about ½ lightly packed cup)
½ ounce (14 g) fresh dill fronds, finely chopped (about ½ lightly packed cup)
½ medium yellow onion (4 ounces; 113 g), finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme or marjoram, optional
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour
1 large whole egg, lightly beaten
4 cups (960 ml) neutral cooking oil such as vegetable or sunflower oil, plus more if needed (see notes)
Optional fresh lemon wedges, for serving

Steps:

In a food processor, gently pulse chickpeas. Alternatively, mash with a potato masher, a fork, or your hands. Aim for a mixture with about 3/4 mashed and the rest whole/broken.
In a large bowl, combine mashed chickpeas, parsley, dill, onion, oregano, thyme or marjoram, salt, pepper, flour, and egg. Use a spoon to stir until combined gently. Refrigerate mixture until batter is set enough to scoop and rest on a spoon, about 15 minutes.
Once mixture has rested, line a rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels and set aside. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, add oil (oil should measure 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep) and heat on medium-high until oil registers 350°F (175 °C) on an instant-read or deep-fry thermometer. Once oil reaches 350°F, lower heat to medium.
Using a 1.75-ounce cookie scoop (or 2 tablespoons), drop 6 portions of batter into pan, evenly spaced apart, using a spoon to gently transfer batter into hot oil.
Note that some loud, vigorous bubbling is common when fritters first contact the oil. Use the back of a fork or spatula to gently press each patty to slightly flatten. Fry fritters for 10 seconds, then give a gentle nudge underneath with a fork or spatula to ensure they are not sticking to bottom of pan. Continue to fry, flipping occasionally for even browning and adjusting heat as needed to maintain oil temperature around 300 to 350°F (150 to 175°C), until deep golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes total.
Use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer fritters to a prepared sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.
Return oil to 350°F (175°C), adjusting heat as needed, and repeat frying fritters in batches of 5 to 6 at a time for a total of about 16 fritters. Let the last batch sit for 2 minutes after removing from oil. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Kali orexi!