Among the dozens of reasons to celebrate the bounty of spring, fried zucchini blossoms rank high. Follow the steps below to make the classic Roman appetizer.
The classic recipe from Rome
Mix 1 Tbsp. flour with 1½ cups water, slowly adding more flour and more water until the batter forms a smooth and uniform consistency that's not too thick or too thin. Wash the zucchini blossoms carefully and dry them gently to prevent them from breaking. Remove the pistil and dip each squash blossom into the batter.
Stuff the fried zucchini blossoms with mozzarella and anchovies. To close them, join the ends of all the petals and seal them by rotating to prevent the stuffing from seeping out. After having passed the blossoms in the batter, drain to eliminate any excess batter and fry in boiling seed oil. Salt and serve immediately, otherwise, they lose their crispy texture.
Batter varieties
Make a softer, slightly leavened batter by dissolving a pinch of fresh brewer's yeast in a little sparkling water. Separately, mix 5 oz. flour with 7 oz. sparkling water and add the yeast. Complete with a pinch of salt.
For a super crispy batter, replace regular flour with rice flour. If you want a Japanese tempura-like batter, mix 1 egg yolk with 4 oz. flour and 7 oz. sparkling water.
Other stuffing ideas
For vegetarian zucchini blossoms, stuff with mozzarella and sundried tomatoes, or add mashed potatoes and steamed green beans for a creamier filling. Add a little pesto if you like.
If you have leftover stale bread, making a filling by combining the stale bread crumbs with an egg, basil, and Parmigiano.
For a non-vegetarian variant, replace the classic anchovies with sliced meats such as bacon or mortadella.
As for the choice of cheeses, replace mozzarella with scamorza or ricotta cheese. Always make sure that the filling is not too soft and creamy, otherwise, the filling could seep out while cooking.
Check out the photo gallery for more tips.