How does your garden grow?

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

No silver bells and cockles shells here but some zucchini and tomatoes!

Not my garden either but the tiny piece of land which belongs to the house across the road. No-one lives there and as we have had the the key for many years, this year when DH cleaned it I finally persuaded him to plant something useful instead of leaving it empty. 

It just grows wild otherwise and there were often adders there so it is far better to keep it cleared. The old man gave us the key originally and his sons have changed locks and given us the new keys after he passed a few years ago. 

Last year the owners didn't even come down here at all, the year before just for a week in October to get some olive oil. They would like to sell the house but there is no market and it is in really bad shape, so it is just sitting there eating money in taxes since the old man died. The usual village story. The old folks pass, there are no jobs and the young people have nearly all emigrated. 
As the children grow they prefer more interesting seaside resorts so parents no longer come here on holiday. This is not a tourist place.

Anyway, we planted just a few zucchini and tomato plants and have been blessed with a great yield. I still have the flowers everyday for the "frittelle" (I have a photo recipe here on my blog)
It is amusing as it is now no longer the season so I am the only one on the street who still has some.

Today I made some sauce again with our very own tomatoes. I know we have the ones DH grows with my inlaws, but somehow to actually go into the garden and pick them is so much more satisfying! There is nothing sprayed on them and the only work is to take down a couple of pails of water. I save water when rinsing etc so it is also ecological, water is precious here.

It was amusing that the other day I actually gave my Mil some tomatoes as she didn't have any and was going to buy some! 

Recipe: Zucchine Flower Frittelle. Courgette flower fritters.

Today's recipe is: Zucchine flower fritters.

  Some nice fresh flowers picked this morning. They go limp very quickly.

I prepare the flowers like this and then rinse them.

When I have a lot I freeze them like this and keep for use through the year. 

You need:
Fresh (or frozen) zucchine (courgettes) flowers.
Optional small zucchina.(courgette)
1 egg per person.
Flour: About 2 tablespoons per egg.
Freshly ground parmesan cheese: 2  tablespoons per egg.
Parsley: A small amount.
Salt to taste.
Olive oil for frying. (Or other preferred cooking oil )

Cut the flowers into small pieces.

Add the cheese, parsley and salt to taste.

If you have some small courgettes you can add a finely sliced one if you like.

                                                                    Mix together.

Add the flour and eggs.

                         The mixture should look like this. A semi-liquid consistency like batter.

Heat some oil in a frying pan. I use our own home produced olive oil.

Spoon in the zucchine batter. I add about 2-3 tablespoons mixture for each one, but you can make them smaller.

Fry until a golden colour turning when cooked on the bottom.

I usually turn a couple of times until cooked.

Take out and drain on some kitchen paper.

Ready to eat! I found it difficult to prevent my husband from eating them all before I took a photo!

This is wild origano (oregano in English)  which my DH gathered. Isn't it pretty?

We dry it to use for pizza and many other recipes!

By the way I would love to hear from you if you try this recipe!