Santorini Fried Tomato Fritters Tomatokeftedes

RECIPE :TOMATOKEFTEDES

10-1/2 ounces lovely ripe red tomatoes (about 3)

2-1/2 ounces red onion, coarsely chopped (1 small)

3 heaping tablespoons coarsely chopped mint

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 heaping teaspoon baking powder

Olive oil, for frying 

Cut the top hats off the unpeeled tomatoes and discard. Slice the tomatoes into small pieces. Scrape off the board into a bowl but leaving  behind the excess juice. Add the chopped  onion, mint and half the flour to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper and knead in well. Leave for 10 minutes or so to soften.

Make a paste with the remaining flour, the baking powder and 1/3 cup of water. Add to the bowl and mix in well. Heat olive oil to a depth of about 5/8 inch in a large non-stick skillet until very hot. Scoop up a good tablespoon of the mixture and with another spoon, scrape this into the hot oil in lovely irregular fritters. Fry a few at a time, turning them over when golden to fry the other side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with a little extra salt and serve on a clean plate.

Santorini local farmers are  amazing keeping traditions that go back centuries.

Walking around with kndogeorgies last year he explains to me after many years working on the land he  has never watered his plants but as in the pass uses  the moon, winds and timing to know when to plant to get a good crop.There is no such thing as machinery as we know only the mule and backbone hard labour in preparing the land and sowing the seeds and the Santorini tomatoes are planted watered once and then left to nature to grow the only real problem the farmers have on the island are snails and they have to be painstakingly  hand picked to develop the growth of the tomato plants that are small and sweet from the nutrients of the volcanic soil