Slice off the stem end of the zucchini and grate with a box or similar handheld grater or with the shredding disk of a food processor. Toss the shredded zucchini with ½ teaspoon salt and place in a colander and let drain for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 or so. Squeeze the excess moisture out and transfer to a mixing bowl. (Tip: I like to wring the shredded zucchini out in a tea towel to remove the bulk of the excess liquid easily, but you could ball it up and squeeze with the aid of paper towels instead. See notes for more hints.)
Stir the chickpea flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and fresh pepper to taste (I use about ¼ teaspoon of pepper) into the drained zucchini along with the fresh herbs and spices if using. (My go-to is a ½ teaspoon of ground cumin or smoked paprika. A little red onion is nice, too; just grate it as you do the zucchini. Remember that you can taste the batter to check for seasoning if you’d like to add more, as there are no eggs.)
Check to see if you can form a patty in your hands. If the mixture seems wet and runny, you’ll want to add a little more flour (and try to squeeze out a little more moisture next time). If it’s too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water (and pat yourself on the back for strong hands!).
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (I use my 12-inch cast iron skillet.) You can eyeball this—you want enough oil to nicely coat the bottom of the pan. When the skillet is hot, drop in ¼ cup of batter (I either use my ¼ cup measure as a scoop or roll the mixture into equal-size patties first), and lightly flatten with a spatula. Repeat, leaving space between each fritter. (I cook four per batch.) Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Flip and cook 2-3 minutes to brown the other side. Remove to a plate, add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and repeat with the remaining batter. If the fritters are browning too quickly at any point, reduce the heat to medium.
Fritters can be made in advance and reheated in a 325℉ oven until warm. I often microwave leftovers or warm them in a low skillet—or even eat as cold finger food, as they are quite good that way. The fritters will keep for 5-7 days in the fridge and may be frozen.
*The size of zucchini and summer squash varies greatly. For this recipe, I use about 20-22 ounces of grated zucchini and end up squeezing out about 8 ounces liquid, ending up with 12-14 ounces of shredded vegetable. Figure on two packed cups once the moisture has been removed. This is not an exact science, so feel free to adjust with a little less or more chickpea flour. You want a patty that holds together easily and is a little sticky but not wet.
**Feel free to experiment with a mix of other herbs and spices. A small amount of fresh mint or basil would likely nice, as would some dried chili powder, sumac, and a little onion and/or garlic powder.