A short while ago I posted a recipe for Greek salatouri (σαλατούρι), a refreshing salad made with skate fish, onion and fresh herbs that’s often eaten as a meze around the Cycladic islands. Today I’ve got something a little different, yet similar in the sense that it’s another meze-style dish made with skate that’s easy to share and is totally delicious with some drinks on the side. These deep-fried skate fritters are deliciously golden and crispy on the outside and soft and mushy on the inside while the simple yoghurt, lemon and mint dip on the side adds a welcoming freshness to balance it all out. A great meze or party snack if you ask me.
Skate wings are quite gelatinous, which makes the meat perfect to be used in fritters such as these as it allows the batter to be firm enough to shape with your hands, yet remain relatively moist after being cooked. Though, should yo not be able to find skate, you can replace it with flaked cod, or salt cod for this recipe instead, which may not be as gelatinous, but is very tasty as well.
Note: makes around 20 – 22 fritters

Psarokeftedes me Salaxi/ Ψαροκεφτέδες με Σαλάχι (Greek Skate / Ray Fish Fritters)
- DF
Ingredients
- For the skate:
- 1kg de-skinned skate wing (weight including bones), around 750g after bones have been removed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- -
- For the dip:
- 250g Greek yoghurt
- Fresh mint, stalks removed
- 1 unwaxed lemon
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Pinch of sweet paprika powder
- -
- For the batter:
- 3 large eggs
- 180g plain flour/all-purpose flour
- Few sprigs of parsley and/or chervil, finely chopped
- Medium yellow onion, finely diced
- salt, to taste
- pepper to taste
- -
- Sunflower oil, for frying
Method
Makes about 20 - 22 fritters- Prepare the skate: Add the fish to a large pot and fill it with cold water until the fish is just covered. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, the vinegar and the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, then drain. Allow cooked fish to cool until it’s safe to touch then remove bones and flake the meat with your fingers or a fork. Allow to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, prepare the dip: Add the Greek yoghurt to a bowl. Very finely chop the fresh mint leaves and zest the lemon and stir through the yoghurt until well combined. If you like the sauce to be a bit lemonier, add a tablespoon (or more) of lemon juice as well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle on some sweet paprika powder to decorate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare the batter: In a bowl, combine flour, eggs, some salt and pepper. Once the fish has cooled, stir it into the batter together with finely diced onion and the chopped fresh herbs. The batter should be quite thick and sticky (see photo in post above) and you should be able to fairly easily form soft balls with your hands. If the batter seems too runny, add a little bit of extra flour, or a little bit of water if it seems too dry.
- To start frying, heat up enough sunflower oil in a high-rimmed pot that would allow the fritters to float and not touch the bottom.
- Once the oil is hot, slightly wet your hands with water and take some of the batter to roll a 4 - 5cm round fritter with your hands. Gently lower the fritter into the oil and fry until golden and crispy on all sides. Fry a couple of fritters at the same time, but do not overcrowd the pan and do work in batches.
- Once the fritters are golden all around, remove from the oil and place on a plate covered with kitchen paper to allow excess oil to drain off. Continue until all fritters are fried.
- Serve immediately with some of the yoghurt dip on the side.