Zucchini-Ricotta Fritters & Spicy Tomato Soup

Well I was looking for a recipe that would use up the rest of the Crème fraîche I left.  I thought this sounded like a good use and I could finally try these amazing looking fritters.  Well the soup was a meh, but the boy loved it.  The fritters were AMAZING.  Love, love, loved them.  They were pretty easy to make too. Next time I make them, I think I might put the grated zucchini in a paper towel and squeeze a bit of the liquid out of them.  I only think this might help with how they hold together.  They were knife and fork food and I wanted finger food:) I think the lemon wedges were unnecessary, as there was plenty of lemon flavor from the zest, but it didn't hurt it either.  

Zucchini-Ricotta Fritters

2    medium zucchini (about 7 ounces each),coarsely shredded
2    garlic cloves,very thinly sliced
3    large scallions,very thinly sliced
1/2 c  fresh sheep-milk ricotta cheese
2    large eggs
2 t  finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
 3/4 c  all-purpose flour
 Olive oil,for frying
 Lemon wedges,for serving
[Note: Our Pairing Suggestion: Citrusy, spritzy Spanish Txakolina
(Mario Batali's ) ]
1. In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, garlic, scallions, ricotta,
eggs, lemon zest and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Stir well,
then stir in the flour just until incorporated.
2. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. In a large skillet,
heat 1/4 inch of olive oil until shimmering. Working in batches, add 2-
tablespoon mounds of the zucchini batter to the hot oil, spreading them
to form 3-inch fritters. Fry over moderately high heat, turning once,
until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain the fritters on the
paper towels and serve right away, with lemon wedges.
Make Ahead The fritters can be kept at room temperature for up to 2
hours and recrisped in a 325 oven.

Spicy Tomato Soup

2 T  extra-virgin olive oil
1    small yellow onion,peeled,  halved, and sliced into 1/4-inch
1/2    to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2    (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes
1 1/2 c  water
1/4 c  loosely packed fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Crème fraîche,for garnish (optional)
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until
shimmering.  Add the onions and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring
occasionally, until the onions are translucent and very tender, about
10 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, plus the water, and bring to a
boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until
the flavors have melded, about 30 minutes. Add the basil, season with
salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and let cool briefly, about 5
minutes.
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large, heatproof bowl. Using a blender,
pure the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap from the
blender lid (the pour lid) and covering the space with a kitchen towel
(this allows steam from the hot soup to escape and prevents the blender
lid from popping off). Pour the blended soup through the strainer,
pressing on the solids with a rubber spatula or ladle; discard the
solids. Taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper as
needed.
Return the soup to the saucepan and reheat on medium low until hot. If
you choose, serve topped with a tablespoon of creme frache.