Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with Ricotta and Basil
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Crisp and Tender
Oh so good. The end of summer brings an abundance of delicious zucchini and better yet zucchini flowers. Fiori di zucca (Courgette Flowers) are tender yellow-orange blossoms that are filled with cheese and fresh herbs then battered-fried until they are crisp and golden.
These flowers have a delicate texture and mild flavor. There are a variety of ways to stuff and cook these flowers but ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, mint, basil and parsley are my favorite. They can then be baked or coated with a thin batter and deep fried.
Zucchini flowers can be used in many dishes. You can make Squash Blossom Soup, put them in a salad, top your pizza with them or bake them in a frittata. These are just a few of the variety of ways they can be used. First and formost, stuffed, battered and fried makes this recipe a great starter for any Italian meal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
- 1/2 cup of fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1/2 cup of fresh mozzarella, broken into pieces
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- ¼ cup fresh basil, torn into small pieces
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1/4cup of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
- ¼ tsp of salt
- ¼ tsp of fresh ground black pepper
- 12 to 16 large zucchini squash blossoms
- 1 and 1/2 all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbs of baking powder
- 3/4 cup chilled seltzer or club soda
- About 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
Preparation
- In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan, mozzarella, lemon zest and juice, and basil, mint and parsley. and then
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Gently rinse the zucchini blossoms in a colander and pat dry.
- Using a spoon or a piping bad fill each of the zucchini blossoms with the ricotta mixture and make sure to squeeze the petals around the filling to secure it in place. Set aside.
- In another bowl mix together the flour and baking powder, then slowly whisk in the soda water. Set aside.
- In a heavy bottom pot or pan, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Dip the flowers in the flour mixture and turn them to coat completely.
- Fry in batches for 2 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
- Remove to a plate lined with paper towel and immediately season with a little more salt.
Serve with lemon wedges or a marinara sauce
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