Finely chop the herbs and fennel. Dice the zucchinis and onion.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and water to the vegetables and herbs. Mix until you get a thick batter, to which you can add 50 grams of pine nuts.
Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes.
Then form small flat cakes about 5 centimeter in diameter.
Fry the patties in hot vegetable oil or, for a lighter version, simply bake them in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
This appetizer can be served with a tahini sauce on the side, with sunflower or pumpkin seeds, and herbs such as sage and zaatar.
Walid Mouzannar surrounded by his daughter Alia and his grandson Nicolas. (Credit: João Sousa/ L'Orient-Le Jour)
The story of Walid, his daughter Alia, and his grandson Nicolas
In the Mouzannar family, and now (by extension and marriage) the Mogabgab family, the love of cooking could only be passed down from father to daughter, and now to grandson. It’s hardly surprising when you grow up around Walid Mouzannar, for whom gastronomy is an art of living, thinking, being and loving. He confides: “I inherited this from my mother and my paternal aunts. At home, a good table was a must. In Gemmayzé, where we lived, Saturdays were open house days centered around dishes with shrimp, fish, and the indispensable tabbouleh. Homemade chips were our madeleine de Proust.” A member of the Gastronomy Academy and the winner of several competitions, he never tires of preparing hundreds of plates for his friends and family at home or at the Aero Club.
For Walid Mouzannar, cooking is a family story, just as it is for his daughter and grandson; it’s a true moment of pleasure made even more precious by sharing. The trio, united by a silent complicity, has found a common language, even though they belong to three different generations. That’s what makes them truly complementary. “I have passed the torch to my children and grandchildren,” he says.
“My childhood is filled with memories of family gatherings,” Alia continues, who has made a name and a place for herself in the jewelry field. “For my father, there always had to be someone with us to share our meals—relatives, friends. I do the same in Ain Zhalta, at home or at La Maison des Sources, the guesthouse that my husband Fadi and I run. My father taught me the value of good food, simple things with good ingredients, good olive oil. I like to walk and pick plants I find along the way that inspire my dishes. And I love sharing, knowing who I’m cooking for, and all the moments built around that.”
Nicolas, 15, fell very early into his grandfather’s delicious cooking pot. “I love eating and cooking,” he says. “I’ve been practicing since I was little… I have a pretty developed palate, which helps me recognize flavors, and I already know what I want to do later.” The future chef’s specialty: fish en papillote, Korean-style... And he proudly shows off photos of his creations under the proud and amused gaze of his grandfather and mother, both convinced that the legacy is passed on and the talent assured.
“The recipe for zucchini and fennel fritters, also known as Ejjet Choumra without eggs, was chosen unanimously by my daughter, my grandson and me. Everyone loves it: it’s easy, inexpensive, and can be eaten as an appetizer or during Lent. It’s a simple traditional dish that can be prepared fried — which I prefer — or baked, which my daughter Alia (Mogabgab) likes because it’s healthier, or half-and-half, the way my grandson Nicolas makes it,” explains Walid Mouzannar. “Jeddo hates the word healthy,” his grandson Nicolas smiles. And the grandfather retorts: “I will never make the baked version of the fritters!”
“The recipe for zucchini and fennel fritters, also known as Ejjet Choumra without eggs, was chosen unanimously by my daughter, my grandson and me. Everyone loves it: it’s easy, inexpensive, and can be eaten as an appetizer or during Lent. It’s a simple traditional dish that can be prepared fried — which I prefer — or baked, which my daughter Alia (Mogabgab) likes because it’s healthier, or half-and-half, the way my grandson Nicolas makes it,” explains Walid Mouzannar. “Jeddo hates the word healthy,” his grandson Nicolas smiles. And the grandfather retorts: “I will never make the baked version of the fritters!”
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Lebanon is in danger of collapse. We need you more than ever. By supporting us, you will allow us to continue to fulfill our mission and provide you with continuous, independent, quality information.
