Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

I am so excited about this recipe. I've never even tried stuffed zucchini blossoms before, let alone made them at home. I've seen them on Italian menus before and wanted to taste them, but usually whoever I was having dinner with wasn't on board. Then I saw the big, yellow blossoms that popped open on my potted zucchini plants and I thought... why not?

I fear this will be more a record of the fact that I actually made this than a recipe for an easy, go-to appetizer for your next cocktail party. For one thing, zucchini blossoms are hard to find. If you are lucky enough to come across them at a farmer's market, they need to be used quickly or they go bad. The best way to get zucchini blossoms is to harvest them right off your own plants before you start cooking. And I know that's not an option for everybody.

But if you do manage to get your hands on some zucchini blossoms, and you're wondering what to do with them, I've got a recipe for you.

Usually only male zucchini blossoms are eaten, because they can't develop into squash. One male blossom is enough to fertilize a whole plant of female blossoms, so you can snip a few off without any ill effects. To prepare the blossoms, you need to untwist the petals, open them up, and reach down inside the flower to remove the stamen, which will be covered in pollen. It's easy to tear the petals, so you have to be careful. I tore a few and they were still easy to stuff, but then the stuffing leeched out while they were frying. Rinse the blossoms with water and gently pat dry.

You can do a lot of different things with squash blossoms, but the most typical recipe is to stuff them with cheese and fry them. I was tempted to try a baked version instead, because deep frying is a lot of hassle and not exactly healthy, but I figured if I was going to do this, I ought to do it right. I picked this recipe at Blogging Over Thyme because I liked the tempura-style batter. Sure enough, it has a light and lovely texture that doesn't overpower the flavors of the blossoms and the stuffing. And the blossoms do have a taste, reminiscent of zucchini but lighter. The stuffing itself is simple, just ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and basil. I'm tempted to try some goat cheese next time, but I'm glad I stuck with something simple at first so I could taste the flowers. Season the filling with salt and pepper and use a pastry bag to pipe it into the flowers. Then you can twist the petals back closed.

The recipe recommends frying the blossoms in safflower oil, which has a higher smoke point than other cooking oils. We had some on hand for just this reason, so that's what I used. You could also substitute vegetable or canola oil.

A quick dip in the batter, a few minutes in hot oil, and voila - cheesy, tender zucchini blossoms. Eat them while they're still warm. This certainly won't be a recipe I'll be coming back to over and over again, but it was really fun to make this once. If my zucchini plants produce enough flowers, I'm definitely going to do it again.

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

3/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 1/2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp. lemon zest
8-10 basil leaves, sliced thin
salt and pepper, to taste
15-18 zucchini blossoms
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup seltzer (or regular water)
safflower oil, for frying

Remove stamens from blossoms and gently wash and dry them. Mix ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest, and basil in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Slowly add seltzer or water, whisking to combine. The mixture should be roughly the consistency of pancake batter. Using a pastry bag, pipe the ricotta mixture into the blossoms, filling them but leaving enough room to twist the petals closed.

Fill a pan with safflower oil about 1 inch deep. Heat on medium-high to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Gently dip the blossoms in the batter, twisting them in the direction the petals are coiled to coat them evenly. Wipe off excess batter on the side of the bowl, again twisting the flower. Gently place into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown. Cook in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and let drain on a plate covered with a paper towel. Serve warm with basil leaves and lemon wedges.

Recipe adapted from A Beautiful Plate.