Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
Another dish I almost always order if I see it on a menu at a restaurant. I can’t resist! One of my favourite antipasto - especially when the balance is just right; a tender zucchini, a bright but creamy filling and most importantly, a light batter that doesn’t detract from the main event.
When I think of some of my earlier memories of eating zucchini flowers, I instantly think of being in Rome - specifically enjoying them on pizza bianca with mozzarella and anchovies. This memory directly translates to the filling I make for these - ripping up excellent quality mozzarella and mixing through ricotta, it results in a lovely melty inside once cooked. You can add an anchovy to each blossom but I haven’t included that in the recipe below - mostly because I’ve been on a bit of an anchovy train lately and I’m sure some of you are sick of it - but it would be a nice and punchy, salty addition!
I find zucchini flowers a little difficult to find where I am so it’s a bit of a special dish in the sense that I don’t get to make these at home often. Perfect as a simple starter, sharing dish or even just to enjoy with a glass of wine in the late afternoon sun.
Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
Makes 8 stuffed zucchini flowers
Ingredients
8 small zucchini with their flowers attached (usually found at a farmer’s market, but I also found some recently at Harris Farm Market for those in Australia).
For the filling
150g ricotta
1 ball of mozzarella (roughly 100g)
Zest of half a lemon
For the batter
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn starch
1/4 tsp bicarb of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup soda water
Vegetable oil (for deep frying)
Method
Combine all of the filling ingredients and season generously with salt and pepper.
Place the mixture into a piping bag and set aside.
Prepare the zucchini by washing them gently in a bowl of cold water. Pat dry.
Remove the pistil/stamen from inside the blossom and discard (these are technically edible but I prefer to remove them).
Fill each blossom with some of the ricotta mixture until full but not enough to start seeping out. Gently twist the top of the blossom to seal.
To make the batter combine all of the dry ingredients then whisk in the soda water until smooth - it should be quite loose in consistency and not thick and gloopy at all.
Pour the vegetable oil into your preferred pan (I use a sauté pan that’s quite deep and fill about half way - enough so the zucchini will be submerged), and place over a low-medium heat. Once the oil reaches 325f you’re ready to go.
One at a time dip the zucchini in the batter then carefully place into the hot oil - dropping it in away from you. Batch cook only a few at a time so as not to overcrowd the pan.
Cook the zucchini for a few (around 4-5) minutes, rotating them carefully in the oil occasionally so they cook evenly.
Once lightly golden, remove from the oil and place onto some kitchen paper - sprinkle with salt.
Repeat the process with the remaining zucchini.
Serve with a lemon wedge - squeeze over before devouring.
Note: any leftover ricotta filling is a wonderful toast topping!
