Fiori di zucca fritti

Roman fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with ricotta and anchovy

Origin: Rome, Papal States, Central Italy

From the journey of Zucchini.

Few dishes capture the soul of Roman cucina as completely as fiori di zucca fritti; zucchini blossoms battered and fried in the old Jewish Roman tradition of vegetables cooked in abundant oil until gold and crackling. The Roman affection for edible flowers long predates the arrival of the zucchini from the New World: the ancient Romans fried squash blossoms, rose petals, and elder flowers in olive oil, and the technique survived unbroken in the kitchens of Trastevere and the Roman Ghetto into the modern era. When zucchini arrived in Italian gardens via Spanish trade routes in the sixteenth century, the flower; delicate, orange-yellow, trumpet-shaped; was immediately recognised as something to be battered and fried. The filling of ricotta and whole anchovies pressed inside the blossom before battering reflects the Jewish Roman tradition of combining dairy and fish: a preparation unconstrained by the kashrut restrictions on meat and dairy; and the particular Romanesco genius for contrast: the mild, yielding ricotta against the salt-sharp anchovy, all enclosed in a light beer batter and fried in sizzling oil. Street stalls and trattorias in the Campo de' Fiori neighbourhood have served virtually identical preparations for at least four centuries. The flower is edible only for a brief window in summer; two or three days after it opens on the vine, making fiori di zucca fritti a seasonal privilege, available only to those close to a garden or a market that supplies them fresh.

Ingredients

Main

12 fresh zucchini blossoms, stamens removed, wiped gently clean

Filling

150 g fresh ricotta, well drained
12 fillets good-quality anchovy fillets in oil, drained
1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
black pepper

Batter

120 g plain flour, sifted
150 ml cold light beer (lager)
1 tsp fine salt

Cooking

vegetable or sunflower oil, for deep frying

To Serve

1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Method

Make the filling: mix the drained ricotta with the Parmesan, parsley, and a generous grinding of black pepper. The mixture should be thick enough to pipe or spoon; if the ricotta is very wet, drain it further in a fine sieve for 30 minutes before using.
Gently open each blossom, removing the stamen inside with your fingers or a small knife. Spoon or pipe about a teaspoon of ricotta filling inside each flower, pressing one whole anchovy fillet on top of the ricotta. Gently twist the petals closed at the tip to seal. Handle the blossoms with care; they are delicate.
Make the batter: whisk the flour and salt together in a bowl. Pour in the cold beer gradually, whisking until you have a smooth, thin batter the consistency of single cream. Do not over-whisk once the flour is incorporated; a few small lumps are acceptable. Rest the batter for 10 minutes.
Heat at least 5cm of oil in a deep, heavy pan to 175°C. Hold each stuffed blossom by its stem, dip it completely into the beer batter, letting any excess drip off, then lower it gently into the hot oil. Fry 3–4 blossoms at a time; do not crowd the pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes, turning once, until the batter is pale gold and crisp.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper. Season with a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt immediately out of the oil. Serve at once with lemon wedges; fiori di zucca fritti wait for no one. They must be eaten within minutes of frying.

Notes

Zucchini blossoms are available at Italian greengrocers and good farmers' markets in summer. Male blossoms, the ones on a long thin stem rather than attached directly to a small zucchini, are best for stuffing as they are larger and contain no embryonic fruit. If you grow your own zucchini, you will have an abundance of male flowers throughout summer. The blossom is also delicious simply dipped in plain batter and fried without filling; this is the version sold at Roman street stalls.

The Gastrographer

Name: Fiori di zucca fritti
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Central Italy
Ingredients: 12 fresh zucchini blossoms, stamens removed, wiped gently clean; 150 g fresh ricotta, well drained; 12 fillets good-quality anchovy fillets in oil, drained; 1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan; 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; black pepper; 120 g plain flour, sifted; 150 ml cold light beer (lager); 1 tsp fine salt; vegetable or sunflower oil, for deep frying; 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control