I have been transfixed by fried zucchini blossoms since traveling to Italy. To me, zucchini fritti is one of the most perfect Italian recipes. The green and orange gradient makes for a beautiful package and I was so excited to spot a bunch at the farmers market this week. I spotted them from across the field, and raced home to keep them fresh. Then, I made homemade ricotta to stuff them with. This is my recipe for my favorite fried zucchini blossoms.

Italian Lunches

One of my first days in Florence last year included a group lunch at a trattoria near Mercato Centrale. This location would become somewhat of a beacon for us later, but we were drawn to a well-reviewed restaurant with outdoor seating and a deep-red awning. It was the first time I saw an Italian menu, and the plethora of dishes made me so excited. Carbonara. Pizza. Pappa al pomodoro and bruschetta. I quickly spotted zucchini fritti, fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with cheese. A dish I dreamed of a lot when researching Italian food, so I excitedly ordered them for the table. 

When they came out, I encouraged everyone to try them. Piping hot parcels of crisp battered and fried flowers. Some were hesitant because the flowers have an alien-like quality when wrapped and fried. I wasted no time and bit into one, which cracked with crispness. The inside of the zucchini fritti was savory, cheesy, and creamy, with a rich ricotta filling. The coating was not too thick and not soggy, and the earthy flavor of the flower took back stage. I was delighted with them, and I ate most of them. Since then, the elegant presentation and simple flavor has haunted me. 

Farmers Markets and Zucchini Blossoms

When I visited the farmers market a few weeks ago I had the idea to paint a bunch of zucchini flowers. I was craving an opportunity to paint something on the edge of food, leaning more towards botanical illustration. I got to the market early. It was slightly cloudy and humid. I asked when they would have zucchini, which pops up at the beginning of July. The woman said “next week” confidently. I paused and asked if they also sell the flowers to make zucchini fritti, and she explained that they wilt too quickly and would be hard to sell. I accepted my defeat and decided to paint an arrangement of sliced tomatoes instead. 

For the past few weeks I let my dream of making zucchini fritti with flowers slip away, until this week when a familiar stand at the farmers market added a host of fresh produce to their typical array of wicker crafts. They had raspberries, purple cauliflower, and patty pan squash. As I approached the table I spotted a bundle of bright yellow-orange flowers, poking out of green zucchini. I probably gasped and immediately inspected them to make sure they were real. The owner casually bagged them for me and rang me up, asking for a nonchalant 5 dollars. But I felt like I had stumbled upon gold and laughed at how affordable something so special was. 

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

When I got home I arranged them in a bowl like a bouquet and took some photos. I could see them immediately starting to wilt, so I ran to my laptop and googled “how to keep zucchini flowers fresh”. The consensus seemed to be wrapping them in damp paper towels and tucking them in an air-tight container. So I did, and they rested while I plotted my next move. I knew I had to go all out, as these ephemeral beauties might not show up again. So I jumped back in the car and drove about 30 minutes to my favorite health food store. I picked up non-pasteurized whole milk and cheesecloth. The drive home was a peaceful trip with open car window breezes in the backwoods of Maine. 

I checked my flowers when I got home and they looked a-okay. So, I got to work on my homemade ricotta. If you’ve never made it before, homemade cheese is super rewarding and simple. It’s all about temperatures and timing. I heated up the entire jug of whole milk in a stock pot and stirred it gingerly while listening to music, singing along. I opened a brand new cooking thermometer and powered it on, watching the temperature of my milk gradually increase. Once it hit its mark, I added salt and vinegar. I turned off the heat and stirred with a wooden spoon as the curds began to form like storm clouds. After a few minutes, the liquid was filled with islands of ricotta curds floating on cloudy yellowish whey. I placed the lid on the pan and let it rest. 

Sparkling Water Zucchini Fritti Batter

Then, with a cheesecloth in a colander, I poured through my ricotta and whey. The clock immediately started ticking. The longer I waited the more thick and dry the ricotta would be. After 5 minutes I moved my ricotta to a bowl, tasting it for quality control. I added salt, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese. Grated zucchini. My zucchini flowers waited in the Tupperware next to me, with the stems plucked and the zucchini removed. I prepared a quick tempura batter with flour, salt, and sparkling water. 

On that first day in Italy, I tried sparkling water at lunch. I was resistant at first, recoiling at the astringency and bite. But the more I sipped and paired the bubbly concoction with fatty, cheese Italian food, the more I liked it. For the rest of the trip I opted for sparkling water more and more until it completely replaced my still water diet. When we lived in Florence it was a short walk to the Palazzo Uffizi. The square is lined with gorgeous grand sculptures of gods and goddesses, luxury stores, restaurants, and tourists taking photos. Tucked away behind a statue of Neptune is a water fountain. One faucet dispenses still water, and one dispenses sparkling. This became our favorite hidden treasure of Florence, and on our nightly walks we would fill up old water bottles and sip them like wine. 

Crisp Zucchini Fritti

As I poured my sparkling water into the zucchini flower batter, I took a sip of that familiar bubbly nectar and recoiled. It’s not the same in America after months of acclimating to still water. But thankfully it made for a great, crispy batter. One at a time I stuffed my flowers with ricotta and dipped them in the thin tempura batter, kept cold with ice cubes. I heated vegetable oil in a pot and tested the temperature until it reached 375°F. I cooked them one at a time, swirling the flower bundles in oil with my fingers pinched over the petals.

The fried zucchini blossoms crisped perfectly, and I sprinkled them with salt on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. When I was finished, I excitedly popped one onto a plate and sat in a summer breeze, reliving my first bite in Italy. The flowers are crispy and coated with batter in all the nooks and crannies. The ricotta is violently hot at first, so be careful, but then it melts into the crisp batter with notes of lemon and sharp parmesan. I could eat all of them, but I paused to take photos and clean up.

I’m writing this before I paint my watercolor and I haven’t looked at the photos yet. But I’m so excited to bring this one to life with my paints and relive that magic of Italy. I’m so grateful that I was able to find these at the farmers market, and I am eagerly anticipating what treasures I may find next week.

If you enjoy my recipes and paintings, be sure to check out Etsy for 100+ recipe cards and art prints. Use code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off! Thank you for reading.

Print Pin

Fried Zucchini Blossoms with Homemade Ricotta

A classic Italian appetizer with creamy ricotta and crispy batter

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Keyword fried zucchini, zucchini flowers

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author theforkedring

Ingredients

• 6-8 zucchini flowers remove stamen
• 4 cups whole milk non-pasteurized
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt + 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups prepared ricotta
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups sparkling water
• 3 cups neutral frying oil

Instructions

• Start by removing zucchini flowers from the zucchini plants. Make sure there are no holes or rips. Remove the stamen inside the flower and clean the flowers under cold running water. Pat dry and store in an airtight plastic container with damp paper towels.
• To make ricotta, heat whole milk and heavy cream in a large stock pot over medium/high heat. Cook until it reaches 185°F or for about 15-20 minutes (the miters should steam and bubble slightly).
• Add your vinegar and salt and stir immediately. This is when the curds will form. Stir for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat, covering the pot. Let rest for 30 minutes.
• Strain ricotta through a colander lined with a cheesecloth for about 3-5 minutes for a creamy ricotta. The longer it drains, the more firm the cheese will be.
• Transfer 2 cups of ricotta to a mixing bowl and combine with lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and 1 tsp salt.
• Pipe or spoon your cheese mixture into your zucchini flowers, being careful not to overstuff them. Cover flowers in an air tight container until you’re ready to fry.
• To make tempura batter, whisk flour, baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt in a mixing bowl. Add your cold sparkling water and whisk until combined. If your mixture isn’t cold, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes or add a couple large ice cubs to cool it down.
• Heat fryer oil over medium/high heat for 5-10 minutes until it reaches 375°F.
• If you have a small pan, dip your stuffed flowers one at a time in tempura batter, coating completely, and fry one at at time for 3-5 minutes until golden. Drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet or a wire rack.

Notes

• Make sure to refrigerate your sparkling water before using. You can also place it in the freezer for a few minutes before cooking.
• You can also stuff your zucchini flowers with mozzarella or another hard, stretchy cheese if you prefer. These are equally delicious!
• I like to eat these on their own, but you can serve them with a squeeze of lemon juice or with tomato sauce.