“The edible flower of a zucchini is a delicate and ephemeral treat.” ~ Neda Ulaby, NPR
Batter Dipped and Fried Zucchini Blossoms
My husband and I have been vacationing in Italy for the past month. During our travels, I had the opportunity to take a wonderful cooking class at the Villa Ida in Sorrento, Italy. The experience was absolutely delightful, and I had the opportunity to learn about regional recipes that have been a part of the Italian culture for generations.
One of the dishes we prepared was fried zucchini flowers that was served as an appetizer. In Italy, there are zucchini flower plants that produce flowers that will not grow into a zucchini, but are used instead for stuffing, frying or raw accents in salads.
If you are able to find zucchini or squash blossoms at a farmer’s market or food co-op, these are a wonderful treat.
To start, soak the blossoms in a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes. Snap off the bottom of each blossom where it was attached to the stem and remove the pistil and or stamen from each flower. Set on a paper towel to absorb any excess water.
In a medium sized bowl, place the flour, salt, pepper, basil and parmesan cheese. Add enough sparkling water to create a mixture that is the consistency of pancake batter.
Dip each blossom into the flour mixture and then fry it in vegetable oil that has been heated to 375 degrees F. Season with additional salt if desired. Serve them while they are hot.
Fried Zucchini Flowers
By Published: June 11, 2014
- Yield: 3-4 Servings
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 3 mins
- Ready In: 18 mins
“The edible flower of a zucchini is a delicate and ephemeral treat.” ~ Neda Ulaby, NPR Batter Dipped and Fried Zucchini …
Ingredients
- 18 whole zucchini or squash blossoms
- 5 -6 tablespoons white flour
- 5-6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 5 leaves basil, minced
- pinch salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup sparkling water
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- To start, soak the blossoms in a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes. Snap off the bottom of each blossom where it was attached to the stem and remove the pistil and or stamen from each flower. Set on a paper towel to absorb any excess water.
- In a medium sized bowl, place the flour, salt, pepper, basil and parmesan cheese. Add enough sparkling water to create a mixture that is the consistency of pancake batter.
- Dip each blossom into the flour mixture and then fry it in vegetable oil that has been heated to 375 degrees F. Season with additional salt if desired.
- Serve them while hot.!!
