Stuffed zucchini flowers

Stuffed zucchini flowers are a delicious dish of Italian cuisine, ideal as an appetizer or as a light main course.

Ingredients

• 12 fresh zucchini flowers
• 250 g of ricotta
• 50 g of grated parmesan
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tuft of chopped parsley (optional)
• 2 chopped anchovies in oil (optional)
• 1 chopped clove of garlic (optional)
• Seed oil for frying

Preparation

1. Start by gently cleaning the zucchini flowers, removing the inner pistil and any external residue without breaking them. Then let them dry on a clean cloth.

2. For the filling, mix ricotta with parmesan, the egg, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. If you wish, also add the chopped parsley, garlic, and oil-packed anchovies to enhance the flavor. Make sure that the mixture is homogeneous and thick enough not to leak during cooking.

3. Gently open each flower and fill it with the ricotta mixture, taking care not to tear it. You can use a pastry bag or a teaspoon to help you.

4. Once filled, close the flowers by slightly rolling the petals over the top of the stuffing.

5. Heat a generous amount of seed oil in a pan, and when it has reached the right temperature (about 180 °C), fry the stuffed zucchini flowers until they become golden and crispy.

6. Drain them with a slotted spoon and let them rest on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Serve the stuffed zucchini flowers while still hot, and if you wish, you can accompany them with a sprinkling of fresh parmesan or with a yogurt-based sauce with aromatic herbs for a fresh and light contrast.

Curiosity

Zucchini flowers are a specialty particularly loved in central Italy, especially in Lazio, where they are also prepared in a battered fried version (without stuffing) or stuffed as I have described to you. They are a symbol of summer cuisine, as the flowers are mainly harvested during this time of the year.