Stuffed Courgette Flowers Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare the zucchini blossoms for stuffing by gently opening the leaves and pinching out the stamen inside each flower. Set the blossoms aside.
• For the filling, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to a sandwich-size resealable plastic bag and snip a small corner from one point at the bottom.
• Open the leaves of a blossom and pipe in about 1 tablespoon of filling (don't overfill). Gently twist the top of the blossom to enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining zucchini blossoms and filling.
• Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet and heat to 360 degrees F. (If you don't have an oil thermometer, you'll know the oil is ready if you drop in a scrap of bread and it sizzles on contact and begins to brown after a few seconds.) Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
• For the batter, whisk the flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the seltzer to make a smooth batter.
• When the oil is ready, dip the zucchini flowers in the batter one at a time, letting excess batter drip back into the bowl. Add as many as will fit in the skillet without crowding. Fry, turning once, until the batter is light, crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon to the lined baking sheet to drain and repeat with the remaining blossoms.
• Serve warm with marinara for dipping.

Steps:

• For the dressing, combine the olives, tomatoes and vinegar with seasoning and enough of the oil to bind. Set aside, then add the basil just before serving.
• Sieve the flours with a pinch of salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Do not overbeat the mixture - it should be just combined and can have a few lumps.
• Drain and pat the mozzarella balls dry, tear into small pieces, then season. To stuff the flowers, open the petals, pop in some mozzarella, then gently twist the petals to re-seal them.
• Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan until a cube of bread browns in 20 secs. Drop the flowers into the batter, then remove, shaking off excess. Fry in batches of 2 or 3 until lightly golden, drain on kitchen paper and season with a little salt. Keep warm in a low oven as you cook the rest. Pile onto a platter and drizzle with the dressing.