Ingredients

Step by step

1. Coarsely grate the courgettes, place in a colander in the sink and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside to drain further.
2. Cook the orzo pasta according to pack instructions.
3. Meanwhile, put the flour in a bowl and season with black pepper and the salt. Stir in the spring onions, sweetcorn, halloumi, chilli, half the basil and the zest of 1 lemon, followed by the beaten eggs, and mix until you have a thick batter. Finally, fold in the courgette to coat.
4. Preheat the oven to 120°C, fan 100°C, gas 1⁄2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick frying pan and, once hot, add several separate heaped spoonfuls of the courgette mixture. Space them well apart and lightly spread out with the back of the spoon. Fry in batches over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden, adding a little more oil as needed. Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper and keep them warm in the oven while you cook the rest.
5. Drain the orzo and mix with the zest and juice of the second lemon. Add the remaining basil, tomatoes and a splash of olive oil; check the seasoning. Serve the fritters with the orzo salad, sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds, if using, and lemon wedges to squeeze over. The fritters are also delicious served with a spicy tomato chutney, or a drizzle of hot sauce.