Corn Fritters

One of my all time favourite brekky, brunch, lunch, dunch or dinner dishes, these fritters are an easy and sensationally tasty meal that even the most basic cook could conquer!  Sweet corn is the superstar however crisp proscuitto and oven roasted tomatoes top off this little ensemble to make a deliciously light meal that will really impress family and friends....

Serves 4
Olive oil for frying
1 x 400gm tin of super sweet corn kernels, drained
3/4 cup of self raising flour
2 eggs
1/2 a cup of buttermilk
3 spring onions, chopped
1/2 a cup of grated tasty cheese
1/4 cup of grated parmesan
Sea salt and cracked pepper
4 ripe tomatoes, cut into quarters
8 slices of proscuitto
A couple of handfuls of baby rocket leaves
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling (aged is better)*

Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees.  Place the quartered tomatoes on a large lined baking tray and drizzle with a little olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper.  Bake in the oven for approximately 20-25 minutes.

Lay the strips of proscuitto on another lined baking tray and pop them in the oven for 10-15 minutes.  Keep an eye on these as they can go from perfectly done to charred in no time!  They are pretty much ready when the scent of smokey bacon fills the room.

In a large bowl combine the flour, eggs, corn, spring onions, cheeses and buttermilk and season with salt and pepper.  Mix really well to combine.

Heat a large frying pan with enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan.  Use a large serving spoon or a 1/4 cup measuring cup to spoon the batter into the heated frying pan.  The fritters are ready to turn when they start bubbling.  Turn and cook for a few minutes before transferring onto a rack and placing in the oven to keep warm.

In a bowl, drizzle the rocket leaves with a little extra virgin olive oil and toss to coat.

To serve, place a couple of fritters each on to four serving plates.  Top with a small handful of rocket leaves, a couple of slices of proscuitto and four juicy, sweet, oven roasted tomatoes.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with a little sea salt.

* I always buy the four leaf Mazetti brand at the supermarket.  It is less tart and has a more syrupy consistency than a cheaper version.