Crispy Zucchini Flowers
Crispy Zucchini Flowers are popular in Italy and are excellent snacks or appetizers. These are slightly breaded, which makes them very crispy. We can also stuff them with mascarpone, ricotta, and parmesan cheese (or other stuffing) and then bread and fry them.
If you grow your own zucchini, you’ll see the blossoms form first. The male flowers appear first and are often used for cooking since they don’t produce fruit. Pick the blossoms in the morning when they are open and fresh. Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut them off at the base, leaving a small portion of the stem attached. Handle them gently to avoid bruising. Freshly picked blossoms should be used the same day for the best flavor and texture.
When buying zucchini blossoms for deep frying, freshness is key. Look for blossoms that are bright yellow and firm, without any signs of wilting or browning. They should feel slightly moist to the touch, not dry or overly limp. Ideally, purchase them on the same day you plan to cook them, as they are quite perishable. If you need to store them, place them in a single layer on a paper towel in a container, then refrigerate.
Jenny Rosenstrach, Author of the Dinner: A Love Story newsletter, blog, and book series, wrote:
If that [deep-frying] scares you, let me tell you, I am deathly afraid of deep-frying (the technique not the result), but for whatever reason prepping these zucchini blossoms feels more like just pan-frying in a deep skillet — she tells herself convincingly — and the batter couldn’t be simpler: flour, club soda, salt. I know you can stuff zucchini blossoms with all kinds of fancy cheeses and herbs, but I personally love the simplicity of this preparation, the bright pop of sea salt and the hint of floral in the blossoms.
- Servings For about a dozen flowers
Ingredients
- 4 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 liter of sparkling water
- A pinch of freshly ground pepper
- Olive oil in sufficient quantity
For a less delicate and more consistent batter, you can add an egg to the flour and water mixture and mix well.
Preparation
- Take the zucchini flowers, separate them in half, remove the pistil inside, and gently pass each half flower under water to rinse it. Then, put them on a paper towel to dry.
2. In a bowl, add the flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually add the sparkling water and mix (using a whisk or fork) until the mixture resembles pancake batter.
3. Add oil to fill the bottom of a frying pan (or in a fryer) and heat to medium heat.
4. Take your flowers and gently pass them through the batter. Let the excess drain, then gently place them in the oil.
5. Cook for a few minutes until they get a golden color and place them on paper towels to wipe away the excess oil.
6. Sprinkle with salt when they are still hot.
For stuffed zucchini flowers:
Leave the flowers whole, remove only the pistil inside and rinse them. Make a stuffing of your choice. For example, parmesan cheese, ricotta and spinach. Or with mascarpone cheese, mortadella, and dried tomato. You can even stuff it with bocconcini cheese, roasted red peppers and prosciutto. Let your imagination go. Gently stuff your flowers half way, and press all around to nicely close the flower before soaking them in our batter mixture, and then cook them in oil until golden brown.
Fernando Popolizio
Fernando is the first generation of his Italian family born and raised in Montreal. This 46 year old began to cook at his mother’s side when he was 5 years old. He has dedicated his life to cooking, attending culinary school and becoming a personal chef. No matter who he cooks for his heart is with his Italian roots and his mission is to keep his Italian heritage alive.
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