Zucchini blossoms were ever present in our home growing up, and believe me they weren’t considered chic or mainstream in those days. Generally, Italian American families had a summer vegetable garden with tomatoes, zucchini and basil taking center stage. Zucchini was a relatively easy vegetable to cultivate and the delicate flowers were picked early morning and reserved for frying later that day. Depending on what was on hand or the particular mood of the cook they were sometimes stuffed beforehand.
A few years back I came across a recipe in the New York Times by Melissa Clark in which the blossoms were stuffed and served nudo or naked, without frying. Although I had served uncooked zucchini blossoms in salads or when garnishing a dish, I had never given a thought to serving them raw in this way.
After fiddling with various iterations of the original recipe, Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms became a summer staple at Casa Levitt. Of course we still love fried blossoms with a delicate crunch of a crust, but this version eliminates the frying and is absolutely delicious in its own right.
If you do not have an orto or summer vegetable garden, generally your local weekend farmer’s market sells the blossoms. I always prepare them the day that they have been purchased, I mean no one wants to eat a wilting blossom.
Fresh ricotta of the highest quality makes all the difference when filling the zucchini flowers. Draining the ricotta in a sieve overnight helps rid it of water, leaving a richer ricotta.
My mantra, few ingredients but the best you can find always. Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms are a perfect summer accompaniment to a glass of chilled white wine at sunset. So what are you waiting for…
- 8 fresh zucchini blossoms
- 4 whole anchovies or 8 anchovy fillets
- 8 ounces of ricotta, drained overnight
- Large flake sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Drain the ricotta but placing it in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl, placed in the refrigerator overnight.
- Trim the long stems from the blossoms as need be.
- If using whole salted anchovies, gently rinse and brush the residual salt from the fish and lay on a clean paper towel to drain. Using a pairing knife remove the fillet from each side and place them on a saucer. Drizzle a bit of Extra virgin olive oil over the fillets and set aside.
- Check the blossoms for any residual dirt or insects, handling them carefully; gently brush off with a clean cotton cloth if necessary. Cut a slit in the top of the blossom lengthwise.
- Open the blossoms delicately as you spoon enough of the drained ricotta evenly into the center. Season with a bit of freshly ground black pepper and just a touch of the sea salt. Lay an anchovy fillet on the center, partially closing the flower just a bit.
- Arrange the stuffed blossoms on a serving platter and drizzle any remaining oil from the anchovies over them along with a bit more extra virgin olive oil if you like.
- Serve immediately with a chilled glass of Italian white wine.
I’ll have to pick up some this weekend at the farmers market. We gave up on our garden this year after last summer’s squirrel fest in our yard-they ate everything!!! I’ve never served them stuffed without baking our frying-I’m sure they were delicious.
Oh no – I have had those dreaded little creatures invade my garden, decimating ripe tomatoes and completely destroying a tree full of pomegranites. Trust me Janie, you will love this recipe, put the wine on ice…
Everything has been slow to grow up here… weather has been so-so. I have faith that everything will pick up and these are definitely on my to-make list. What a treat zucchini blossoms are! Paula, I love this no-fry version. Thanks for sharing ♥
So disappointing when you are looking forward to a particular seasonal fruit or veg – but be patient and they will get there. Zucchini Blossoms are a treat, when we were kids we really didn’t appreciate them.
One of the best things about summer are zucchini blossoms. These look wonderful and are a nice alternative to frying.
Absolutely – a gift from the garden. I would be interested in your feedback once you give them a try Linda.
I adore zucchini flowers—when I’m lucky enough to find them. Like you, I fill them with anchovies, along with mozzarella but I’m going to try ricotta next time.
Mozzarella & Anchovies are a winning combination as well Frank, especially when you can get your hands on some quality mozzarella or follow the terrific tip you gave in your last post; I so appreciated that.
I’ve never thought about using ricotta, but I like the idea of it because it is more delicate than mozzarella and perfect for the delicate blossoms. I love stuffing them with anchovies too! Simplicity is certainly delicious! Thanks for sharing!