Fasoulokeftedes me yiaourti (white bean fritters with yoghurt sauce)

Ingredients

• 2 × 400 g (14 oz) tins white beans, drained and rinsed (or 270 g/9½ oz/2⅓ cups dried beans, soaked overnight)
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp plain (all‑purpose) flour
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 1 heaped tbsp finely chopped flat‑leaf (Italian) parsley
• 100 ml (3½ fl oz) olive oil for frying
• lemon wedges, to serve

Yoghurt sauce

• 200 g (7 oz/¾ cup) Greek yoghurt
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Chilling time: 30 minutes.

Allow for overnight soaking and extra cooking time (1-2 hours) if starting with dried beans.

Instructions

1. If using dried beans soaked overnight, drain then cook them in a pot of water (enough to cover the beans) over a medium heat until soft.
2. Place the beans in a large bowl and mash with a fork (or use a food processor or mortar and pestle if you prefer). Add the onion, eggs, flour, cumin, paprika and parsley and stir to combine, then season well with salt and pepper. Chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
3. In the meantime, prepare the yoghurt sauce. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir gently until well combined.
4. Take the bean mixture out of the refrigerator and use a tablespoon to make walnut‑sized balls.
5. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the fritters a few at a time, flattening them slightly. Do not overcrowd the pan as it reduces the heat of the oil and the fritters will become mushy. Fry for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden, then transfer onto paper towel as you cook the rest.
6. Place on a platter and serve with lemon wedges and the yoghurt sauce sprinkled with a little more paprika.

This is an edited extract from Thessoloniki by Meni Vale (Hardie Grant Books).