Fried Stuffed Zucchini Blossom
….Around this time of year, the farmer’s market always has a display of neatly arranged yellow zucchini blossoms. I usually passed them by, but today I decided to put a few in my cart and asked an employee how to cook them. The employee kindly explained to me that in Italy, they make fried zucchini blossoms as a summer delicacy, and she shared a simple recipe with me. She even detailed how to prepare them, making it a very helpful experience.
Although I had tried frying acacia flowers my mother made when I was young, and perilla flowers I grew myself, it was my first time with zucchini blossoms, so I felt a mix of excitement and anticipation. First, you remove the stamens, soak the blossoms in water to remove any impurities, and then pat them dry. Fill them with a mixture of ricotta or mozzarella cheese, minced garlic, anchovies, and a bit of herbs, and then fry them in a batter. She mentioned that the combination of cheese and anchovies guarantees a rich and savory flavor, so I chose ricotta cheese. She also told me that they use male flowers, which don’t bear fruit, for cooking.
The employee who shared her knowledge with me in such an engaging manner really made an impression. If I ever get the chance to share this information with someone else, I will do so just as enthusiastically. This brief encounter left me feeling good all day, proving that positive influence can come from even the shortest meetings.
Servings: 4–6
Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 zucchini blossoms, stamens removed and patted dry
- 150 g ricotta cheese
- 3 anchovy fillets, finely minced
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp minced parsley
- 1 cup tempura batter mix
- 2/3 cup beer, cooled
- 1/2 tsp baking powder(optional)
- 2 tbsp flour
- canola oil for frying
Cooking Instructions:
- Remove the stamen, clean and dry the squash blossoms.
2. Combine the ricotta cheese, garlic, anchovy, and parsley in a bowl. Mix them gently.
3. Place 1/2 spoonful of the cheese mixture inside each blossom, then fold the petals carefully to close the opening.
4. Thoroughly coat each blossom with flour.
5. Mix the tempura powder, baking powder, and cold beer lightly until well combined.
6. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. Heat the oil to 350°F (you’ll know it’s ready when bubbles form around a wooden chopstick placed in the oil). Place several layers of paper towels on a sheet pan.
7. Dip the blossoms into the batter and fry them until they are light brown. Place them on the sheet pan and remove any excess oil.
8. Serve it as an appetizer with a slice of lemon.
You can also view this recipe on Instagram.
