Fried Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
For the second summer in a row I’ve been able to score some zucchini blossoms! This year, as I posted earlier, I made one bunch into Nidi di Rondine, at the suggestion of my friend, Romina, who lives in Gubbio, Italy.
Another Italian favorite is fried, stuffed squash blossoms, and now, on my third attempt, I think I’ve really figured it out! The first two endeavors were delicious, but this last one really came together so much better!
I was able to get the blossoms from MX Morningstar Farm in Hudson, NY, and I’ve now figured out how to remove the stamen of a blossom without tearing it.
For my previous two attempts I used mozzarella to stuff the flowers. But I had seen recipes with ricotta, and then saw online that my local dairy, High Lawn Farm in Lee, MA has just started making their own ricotta (only available at the farm for now).
The High Lawn ricotta is amazing, more with the consistency of a soft chèvre than a store-bought ricotta, which meant I neither had to drain off any liquid nor find a way to pipe the filling into the blossoms. I improvised a filling with some grated pecorino, lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped basil, then used Lidia Bastianich’s batter.
I am so sad the season is so short and they are not easy to obtain! But I will definitely add these to my regular summer repertoire!
Fried Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
Serves 4-6 as an appetizer (2-3 per person)
NB: If using supermarket ricotta, you will probably need to drain ¾ cup in a strainer with several layers of cheesecloth so that it becomes thicker. If it remains rather soft, you can pipe the filling into the blossoms with a pastry bag or improvise one by cutting the corner off a plastic bag.
12 zucchini blossoms
½ cup ricotta or chèvre (see above for notes on draining ricotta)
2 Tablespoons grated pecorino or Parmesan
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
Generous ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
Generous ½ teaspoon baking powder
8 ounces beer
Canola oil for frying
The stamen must be removed from the zucchini blossoms. To do this, slide one finger into each flower and cut the stamen off at the bottom with your fingernail. If you try using two fingers you will probably tear the flower which is not ideal.
Mix the filling. Combine the ricotta, grated cheese, basil, lemon zest and juice in a small bowl and stir to combine. If the mixture is thick enough, take a little less than a tablespoon of the filling, shape into a small log, and slip down into one of the squash blossoms. If not, place mixture into a plastic bag, snip off a corner, and pipe a small amount into the blossom. Continue until all of the blossoms have been filled.
Mix the batter. Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a small shallow bowl or baking dish. Add the beer and stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes while the oil heats.
Meanwhile, in a sauté pan with high sides, heat about ½ inch of oil over high heat. Once the oil reaches 360°F on an instant read thermometer, you can begin frying.
Take each stuffed blossom, one at a time, and lay it down in the batter. Hold the stem or bottom end of the flower and twist to cover completely with the batter which should be thickened at this point. Be sure the stuffed blossom is well coated so the cheese doesn’t leak out when frying. Allow excess to drip off and then lay down gently in the hot oil. Repeat until you have as many as you can fit in the pan without crowding for the first batch. Fry for 2 minutes on each side, turning gently with tongs, until the batter is cooked and golden. Remove each blossom and place on paper towel to drain. Sprinkle the fried zucchini flowers with salt and serve immediately.