This recipe is adapted from Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life, by Jamie Oliver (Hyperion 2007). Don't worry if you can't get zucchini flowers with the zucchini still attached. Squashless flowers taste great too, even if they're not quite as filling. Although Oliver recommends using 4 inches of oil, I've found 2 to be sufficient (especially if you don't have zucchini attached to the flowers).
Makes 4 servings
7 ounces good-quality crumbly ricotta cheese
1/4 of a nutmeg, finely grated, or a pinch of ground nutmeg
Small handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Small bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 to 2 fresh red chilies (small bird's eye chilies or 1/2 of a red, ripe jalapeno), halved, deseeded and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups self-rising flour, plus a little extra for dusting
1 1/2 cups white wine or sparkling water
8 zucchini flowers, with zucchini still attached if possible
Vegetable oil
Small piece of potato, peeled (optional)
Sprigs of parsley (optional)
2 lemons, halved
Beat the ricotta in a bowl with the nutmeg, Parmesan, lemon zest and most of the chopped mint and chili. Season to taste.
To make a lovely light batter, put the flour into a mixing bowl with a good pinch of salt. Pour in the white wine and whisk until thick and smooth. At this point the consistency of the batter should be like heavy cream or, if you dip your finger in, it should stick to your finger and nicely coat it. If it's too thin, add a bit more flour; if it's too thick, add a little more wine.
Open the zucchini flowers gently, keeping them attached to the zucchini, and snip off the pointed stamen inside because it tastes bitter. Give the flowers a gentle rinse if you like.
Spoon the ricotta into the corner of a plastic sandwich or Ziploc bag. Snip 1/2 inch off the corner and use this as a makeshift piping bag to gently squeeze the filling into each flower, until just full. Carefully press the flowers back together around the mixture to seal it in. Then put the flowers to one side. (Any leftover ricotta can be smeared on hot crostini as a snack.)
Now for the deep-frying: Have tongs or a spider ready for lifting the flowers out of the oil, and a plate with a double layer of paper towels on it for draining. Pour the oil into a deep-fat fryer or deep saucepan so it's about 2 inches deep. Heat it up to 350F or, if using a saucepan, put in your piece of potato. As soon as the potato turns golden, floats to the surface and starts to sizzle, the oil is just about the right temperature. Remove the potato from the pan.
One by one, dip the zucchini with their ricotta-stuffed flowers into the batter, making sure they're completely covered, and gently let any excess drip off. Carefully release them, away from you, into the hot oil. Quickly batter another one or two flowers and any small zucchini (or parsley) leaves if you have any, but don't crowd the pan too much or they'll stick together. Fry until golden and crisp all over, then lift them out of the oil and drain on the paper towels. Remove to a plate or board and sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and the remaining chili and mint. Serve with half a lemon to squeeze over.
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