Zucchini Flower Bundles

With pleasure! These delicious zucchini flower bundles are a light and tasty appetizer that captures the essence of the Italian summer. Here is the recipe to prepare them:

Ingredients

• 12 fresh and clean zucchini flowers
• 200g of sheep’s milk ricotta
• 50g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 20g of breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• A sprig of basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• (Optional) Strips of prosciutto or speck to enrich the filling

Preparation

1. Start with the filling preparation: in a bowl, mix the sheep’s milk ricotta with the grated Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and egg until you have a homogeneous mixture.
2. Finely chop the basil and add it to the filling. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. (Optional) If you decided to add prosciutto or speck, cut it into thin strips and incorporate it into the ricotta mixture.
4. Gently open each zucchini flower and carefully remove the pistil inside.
5. Stuff each zucchini flower with the ricotta filling, being careful not to overfill to avoid breaking during cooking.
6. Close the zucchini flower back on itself, gently wrapping it to form a bundle.
7. Heat a non-stick pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
8. Place the bundles in the pan and cook for a few minutes on both sides until they become golden brown and crispy.
9. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil and serve hot.

These bundles are delicious as they are, but if you want to add an extra touch, you could serve them with a drizzle of honey and chopped nuts on top, which deliciously contrast with the saltiness of the filling.

Trivia

Zucchini flowers are highly appreciated in Italian cuisine, especially stuffed and fried. They are a summer and colorful dish often found in Roman trattorias, where they are also fried in batter as an appetizer. The addition of ricotta and Parmesan makes them incredibly soft on the palate, while quick frying in a pan highlights their crispy outer texture.