ZUCCHINI BACON & POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• 1. Place zucchini and potato into a colander over a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Let the mixture sit in the colander for about 10 minutes, then press down with a clean towel to squeeze out the excess water.
• 2. While you're waiting for the mixture to drain, place a medium-sized sauté or fry pan over medium heat. Place diced bacon into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until some of the bacon has rendered and there are approximately 1-2 Tablespoons of grease in the pan. Add onion and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the bacon is almost crispy. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Remove bacon, onion, and garlic from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain. Remove the pan from the heat, but do not remove grease from the pan.
• 3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the egg, flour, baking powder, pepper, and paprika. Add the bread crumbs, cooked bacon mixture, and the zucchini and potato mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the Parmesan cheese until everything is well combined.
• 4. Place the sauté pan you used to cook the bacon back over medium heat. If the pan seems dry, add 1 Tablespoon of butter. Once the pan has reheated, drop in the batter 1/8 cup (2 Tablespoons) at a time. Flatten each pancake gently with a fork. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Flip the pancakes over and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Place on an oven-safe plate and keep the cooked pancakes warm at 200 degrees until you're ready to serve them. If desired, top with sour cream or crème fraiche before serving.