Fried Cheese-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
By Steve DunnPublished on February 28, 2019
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Use zucchini blossoms that measure 3 to 4½ inches in length from base to tip of blossom. Do not omit the vodka; it is critical for a crisp coating. Using a twirling motion (like winding a watch) when dipping the stuffed zucchini blossoms in the batter encourages the petals to twist closed around the filling. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe. Be sure to begin mixing the batter when the oil reaches 325 degrees (the final temperature should be 350 degrees).
Instructions
- Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with double layer of paper towels. In medium bowl, stir ricotta, Pecorino, 1 egg, mint, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until smooth; set aside. Trim blossom stems to 1 inch and remove spiny leaves at base of flowers. Gently peel open petals and remove pistil and any dirt inside. Briefly rinse outsides of blossoms with water. Shake off excess water, then arrange blossoms on 1 prepared sheet. Pat blossoms dry with paper towels.
- Spoon ricotta mixture into zipper-lock bag and snip off 1 corner to create ½-inch opening. Working with 1 blossom at a time, pipe enough filling into blossom to fill green base, stopping just before orange petals begin. Gently twist petals to seal in filling, then transfer to prepared sheet. Refrigerate until ready to fry.
- Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1½ inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. While oil heats, whisk flour and cornstarch together in large bowl. Whisk vodka and remaining 1 egg together in medium bowl. Whisk seltzer into egg mixture. When oil reaches 325 degrees, pour seltzer mixture into flour mixture and gently whisk until just combined (it is OK if small lumps remain).
- When oil reaches 350 degrees, hold 1 blossom by stem and twirl through batter until coated. Lift blossom, allowing excess batter to drip back into bowl, then gently lower into oil. Moving quickly but carefully, repeat with 7 blossoms. Fry until crisp and lightly golden, about 2 minutes, adjusting burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature of 350 degrees. Using slotted spoon, transfer blossoms to second prepared sheet and season with salt to taste.
- Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining 8 blossoms. Serve immediately.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
For a fried stuffed zucchini blossom recipe that would produce plump, delicate blossoms covered in a light, crisp coating, we first stuffed the flowers with a blend of creamy ricotta and sharp Pecorino Romano brightened with lemon and mint. For our batter, we used both all-purpose flour and cornstarch and swapped in a surprise ingredient—vodka—for water, finding that the alcohol didn’t activate the gluten in the flour and that its flavor burned off during cooking. Twisting the stuffed zucchini blossoms when dredging them in the batter kept the petals closed around the filling. Deep-frying them in a large Dutch oven in 350-degree oil produced a delicately crisp coating without being so hot as to damage the fragile blossoms.
Before You Begin
Use zucchini blossoms that measure 3 to 4½ inches in length from base to tip of blossom. Do not omit the vodka; it is critical for a crisp coating. Using a twirling motion (like winding a watch) when dipping the stuffed zucchini blossoms in the batter encourages the petals to twist closed around the filling. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe. Be sure to begin mixing the batter when the oil reaches 325 degrees (the final temperature should be 350 degrees).
Instructions
- Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with double layer of paper towels. In medium bowl, stir ricotta, Pecorino, 1 egg, mint, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until smooth; set aside. Trim blossom stems to 1 inch and remove spiny leaves at base of flowers. Gently peel open petals and remove pistil and any dirt inside. Briefly rinse outsides of blossoms with water. Shake off excess water, then arrange blossoms on 1 prepared sheet. Pat blossoms dry with paper towels.
- Spoon ricotta mixture into zipper-lock bag and snip off 1 corner to create ½-inch opening. Working with 1 blossom at a time, pipe enough filling into blossom to fill green base, stopping just before orange petals begin. Gently twist petals to seal in filling, then transfer to prepared sheet. Refrigerate until ready to fry.
- Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1½ inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. While oil heats, whisk flour and cornstarch together in large bowl. Whisk vodka and remaining 1 egg together in medium bowl. Whisk seltzer into egg mixture. When oil reaches 325 degrees, pour seltzer mixture into flour mixture and gently whisk until just combined (it is OK if small lumps remain).
- When oil reaches 350 degrees, hold 1 blossom by stem and twirl through batter until coated. Lift blossom, allowing excess batter to drip back into bowl, then gently lower into oil. Moving quickly but carefully, repeat with 7 blossoms. Fry until crisp and lightly golden, about 2 minutes, adjusting burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature of 350 degrees. Using slotted spoon, transfer blossoms to second prepared sheet and season with salt to taste.
- Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining 8 blossoms. Serve immediately.
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