Zucchini Cakes

*Recipe follows story

If you’re like me, you like your snacks and appetizers cheesy and a little oily…
Just oily enough that whatever you’ve eaten has left a lovely stain on your napkin.  
Like a bold red lipstick mark all over the rim of your coffee mug.  
Like that tramp stamp on your back.
Or maybe the tramp stamp in Kanji is only on my back…

A little embarrassing, but it wouldn’t stop you from doing it all over again. 
Ok, I wouldn’t get the Kanji tattoo again. 

Cheese and fried food…
Guilty pleasures I have no intention of leaving behind.

To accompany Sunday’s gnocchi, I whipped up some zucchini cakes.

One too many zucchini’s, a huge box of arborio rice (untouched since Eve’s birthday dinner), leftover mascarpone and 1 1/2 lbs. of fresh pecorino and I was in the mood.

The mood for cheese and something fried.
I thought my 4 mile morning walk warranted a reward.
A reward in the form of a fried starch.

Inspired by my girlfriend, Ina Garten, here’s my version of a dirty, fried, salty little snack cake:

1 small/medium zucchini (grated)
1/4 c. parsley (minced)
3/4 c. arborio rice or white rice (cooked until slightly mushy and put aside to cool)
1/4 c. mascarpone
2 large eggs
1/2 c. pecorino romano (grated)
1 c. panko bread crumbs
Freshly ground black pepper 
Olive oil for frying

-In a bowl, whisk together mascarpone, eggs, cheese and freshly ground black pepper and put aside
-Combine grated zucchini and parsley with cooled rice, adding mascarpone mixture and mixing well
-Form mixture into patties and coat in panko bread crumbs
-As you complete each one, place on a baking sheet and freeze until you’re ready to fry
-Let freeze until firm, about an hour, heat oil in skillet (enough to coat your pan) and fry zucchini cakes until golden brown - about 2-3 minutes per side (repeat)