These gorgeous zucchini blossoms are filled with a trio cheeses, lemon zest, and fresh herbs, then dipped in a light batter, and fried to crispy perfection! This spring and summer recipe is both delicate and elegant; an Italian classic that’s sure to impress!
2. Carefully open the blossom and locate the yellow pistil.
3. Using two fingers, pinch and remove the pistil.
2. About 1 tablespoon of filling inside the zucchini blossom.
2. Kitchen thermometers are inexpensive and a key tool to have. If you cook at all, I suggest getting one! Minimal cost and highly useful!
Crispy Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
These gorgeous zucchini blossoms are filled with a trio cheeses, lemon zest, and fresh herbs, then dipped in a light batter, and fried to crispy perfection! This spring and summer dish is both delicate and elegant; an Italian classic that's sure to impress!
Equipment
- 2 medium bowls
- 1 zester
- 1 box grater
- 1 whisk
- 1 large ziplock bag or pastry bag
- 1 pair of tongs
- 1 medium frying pan
- 1 kitchen thermometer
- paper towel lined plate large size
Ingredients
Zucchini Flowers:
- 12 zucchini flowers ends trimmed; leave 1 ½ inches of the stem
- 2 cups sunflower oil for frying
- flakey sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
Filling:
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ cup mozzarella low moisture; freshly grated
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano finely grated
- 1 tbsp fresh basil chopped and packed
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano chopped and packed
- 1 lemon zest and 1-2 tbsp juice
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
Batter:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup soda water ice-cold
- ¼ tsp baking soda
Instructions
Clean and Prepare Zucchini Blossoms:
- You must take care to be gentle when preparing zucchini blossoms. They're fragile and delicate, and require a little love to assemble. Check inside to be sure there are no insects; I once found a live bee inside (talk about freshness). Very gently wash them under cold water or wipe them with a damp cloth.
- Remove the yellow pistil from the center of the flower. It's tough and unpleasant to eat. Use two fingers to pinch and carefully remove; discard pistil and repeat process with remaining blossoms.
Prepare the Filling:
- In a medium bowl, add ricotta, mozzarella, pecorino Romano, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, oregano, about ½ tsp kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper; mix until well-combined. Taste; season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- Transfer the mixture to a ziplock bag and push to a bottom corner. Twist the top of the bag and cut a small opening in the corner using a pair of scissors. You can also use a small spoon for this step but it's always been a bit of a disaster for me.
Stuffing the Zucchini Blossoms:
- I find it useful to place the blossom in a tall shot glass for balance. Carefully open the blossom and insert the cut end of the bag, fill with about 1 tablespoon of filling, then twist the ends. Transfer to a plate and repeat this process with the remaining zucchini blossoms.
Prepare the Batter:
- In a medium-sized bowl, add flour and baking soda; stir to combine. Slowly pour in the ice-cold soda water and whisk until smooth and batter is the consistency of a European style yogurt/runny yogurt (not Greek).
Fry:
- Pour about 2 cups of sunflower oil (high smoke point and neutral) in an 8 or 10 inch frying pan over medium-high heat. Monitor the temperature using a kitchen thermometer. You want the temperature to be between 330° and 350° F. What to do if you don't have a kitchen thermometer: When bubbles start to surface in the oil, test it by dropping some batter into the oil: if it sizzles, you're ready.
- When the oil is the right temperature start battering the blossoms and dropping directly into the frying pan (holding the stem will help you to drop gently). Holding the end of the squash blossom as a handle, dunk and roll the stuffed blossom in the batter. I use my other hand to twist the ends and help 'seal' the blossom. Shake off extra batter and transfer directly to the hot oil.
- Fry a few at a time until nice and golden brown on both sides; cooking times will vary depending on the size of blossoms, so you'll need to rely on your eyes. When golden brown, remove using a spider skimmer or a slotted spoon; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and continue working in batches until finished.
- Serve with a sprinkling of flakey sea salt and lemon wedges. Eat while hot!
