Give me flowers, but zucchini flowers!

In my country, since we are kids, our mums teach us to be omnivorous. Basically we grow up eating almost everything, including flowers. Believe it or not, one of the greediest foods are zucchini flowers blossoms. Besides being tasty, these flowers are rich in properties, including vitamins A, C and B. Zucchini flower’s collection usually takes place between spring and summer, but not any time during the day is favorable for harvesting. The appropriate one is between late afternoon and evening. There is a good reason for this: in the morning, bees are super busy pollinating them and we don’t want to alter such a good and natural process. Bees are very smart and efficient!
In Italy, when they’re in season, zucchini blossoms are available everywhere. However, I have been able to find them also in the US, I’ve seen them at farmer’s markets and even in grocery stores!
The recipe I am giving you today it’s based on a typical Roman cuisine dish. The flowers are stuffed with anchovies and mozzarella and then fried. It’s a homemade dish, excellent as a snack, appetizer, aperitif but there is a secret that makes it so good, the batter. Very important is the way of cleaning the flowers. Remove the pistil and stem of the flowers, dry very well on paper towel, make sure there are no bugs or dirt inside. Make the batter, fill and deep the flowers. Remember to preheat the oil in the frying pan. It should be hot when adding the flowers. Fry until cooked on one side, then turn and continue to cook until ready, they will be ready in less than two minutes. Remove and place on brown paper sheet for fried food, it will absorb any oil residue. Once tasted you will not be able to live without it!

Recipe for 8 flowers:
Batter:
200 ml of very cold sparkling water (1 cup)
100 gr. of flour (11 Tablespoons)

Filling:
8 anchovies
8 slices of mozzarella

To fry
1 liter of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Classico Colli Etruschi, Tuscia(or vegetable oil) to fry (4 cups)

Pair with wine, if white go for Soave Classico D.O.C. Gini Veneto
if red Dolcetto d’Alba D.O.C. L’Alto Paolo Conterno Piemonte
if bubbles our recommendation is Brut Kius Marco Carpineti Terre Pontine

For any further information contact me on
stefaniamontalbano@carlozucchetti.it