Fried Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms Recipes

FRIED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS STUFFED WITH BASIL RICOTTA

Steps:

• Prepare the Filling: In a bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and basil. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
• Using a pastry bag, fitted with a small round tip, pipe roughly 1 to 1½ teaspoons of ricotta mixture into the center of each zucchini blossom. The blossoms should be able to close on their own - do not overfill or the mixture will spill during frying.
• Prepare the Batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Slowly pour in the seltzer water, and whisk until combined. It should bubble and eventually become the consistency of a thin yogurt. Season mixture with salt. Set aside.
• Fry the Zucchini Blossoms: Add oil to a large straight-sided sauté pan until it is roughly 2-inches deep. Place over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 375°F (190°C). Line a plate with paper towels and set aside.
• Dip a few stuffed zucchini blossoms into the batter, allowing any excess batter to fall. Fry the blossoms (4 to 5 at a time; do not overcrowd the pan), flipping as needed, until golden brown on all sides. They should bubble aggressively once they hit the hot oil.
• Lift the fried blossoms with a slotted spoon or spide, and place on the paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle with salt immediately. Repeat until all of the zucchini blossoms have been fried. Serve hot with lemon wedges for squeezing.

FRIED STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• To make the batter, using a fork, stir the flour and salt in a bowl to combine. Gradually whisk in the club soda to make a batter-there should be a few lumps of flour. Let stand 10 minutes to thicken slightly.
• Using a small knife, cut a slit down the side of each zucchini blossom, and remove the pistil from inside each blossom. (If a blossom tears, don't worry.) Mix the ricotta, basil, and garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Using a small spoon (a demitasse spoon works well), insert a heaping spoonful of the ricotta mixture inside each blossom through the slit. Be sure that the cheese filling is completely enclosed by the blossom. Transfer the blossoms to a platter.
• Place a wire cake rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour enough oil into a large skillet to come halfway up the sides. Heat over high heat until the oil reaches 360°F on a deep-frying thermometer. One at a time, holding the blossom by the stem, dip the blossom into the batter and remove, letting excess batter drip back into the bowl. There should be only a light coating of batter. Place in the oil and fry, turning once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Fry the blossoms in batches to avoid crowding them in the skillet. Using a wire skimmer, transfer the blossoms to the cake rack to drain. Serve hot.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Prepare the zucchini blossoms for stuffing by gently opening the leaves and pinching out the stamen inside each flower. Set the blossoms aside.
• For the filling, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to a sandwich-size resealable plastic bag and snip a small corner from one point at the bottom.
• Open the leaves of a blossom and pipe in about 1 tablespoon of filling (don't overfill). Gently twist the top of the blossom to enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining zucchini blossoms and filling.
• Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet and heat to 360 degrees F. (If you don't have an oil thermometer, you'll know the oil is ready if you drop in a scrap of bread and it sizzles on contact and begins to brown after a few seconds.) Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
• For the batter, whisk the flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the seltzer to make a smooth batter.
• When the oil is ready, dip the zucchini flowers in the batter one at a time, letting excess batter drip back into the bowl. Add as many as will fit in the skillet without crowding. Fry, turning once, until the batter is light, crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon to the lined baking sheet to drain and repeat with the remaining blossoms.
• Serve warm with marinara for dipping.

FRIED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat about 2" oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl, then whisk in beer until almost smooth (some small lumps are welcome-don't overwhisk or you'll deflate the batter). One by one, dredge the blossoms in batter, shaking off the excess; gently lay them in the oil, without crowding the pan. Cook, flipping once with a slotted spoon, until golden brown, 2-3 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with sea salt and devour while hot.
• Variation #1:
• For an even lighter, crispier crust, fold 3 stiffly beaten egg whites into batter and proceed as above.
• Variataion #2:
• Stuffed blossoms are a favorite in Italy. To fill about 16, combine 1 cup ricotta, 1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint, and 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest in a bowl. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using a spoon, fill each blossom with about 1 tablespoon ricotta mixture, then dip in batter and fry as above.