Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed With Tomatoes And Parmesan 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:

• Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard pulp, leaving a 1/4-in. shell. Place zucchini in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cover and cook for 2-4 minutes or until tender. Drain., In a small bowl, combine the tomato, Monterey Jack cheese, parsley, salt, garlic powder, oregano and pepper. Spoon into zucchini shells. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. , Place in an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.,

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds, forming a shallow cavity. Finely grated one of the seeded zucchini into a bowl, salt and set aside. Liberally sprinkle the other zucchini shells with salt and place cut-side down on paper towels while preparing the filling.
• 2. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Lightly squeeze the grated zucchini to remove the excess moisture and add to the onions and peppers. Cook until the mixture dries slightly. Remove from the heat, stir in the panko, cheese, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cool slightly.
• 3. Wipe the salt from the zucchini and dry as thoroughly as possible with paper towels. Divide the filling among the zucchini halves, mounding them slightly down the center. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake until the zucchini softened and the tops brown, about 20 minutes. Carefully transfer zucchini to a platter and serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute zucchini in oil until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer., Stir in the tomatoes, seasoned salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, until liquid is evaporated, 9-10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cover 3/4 tablespoon of the sumac with 1 tablespoon of boiling water and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Add both types of cheese, oregano, walnuts, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a generous grind of pepper. Mix well.
• Fill the flowers by carefully opening them and either spooning or piping about a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture into each, gently pushing the filling all the way to the bottom of each blossom but being careful not to fill them too much; if you can get someone to hold the flower open for you, it would make it much easier. Gently twist the tips of the petals to secure the filling inside and set aside until you're ready to fry.
• Pour enough oil into a medium (about 8-inch/20-centimeter) nonstick frying pan so that the oil rises about 1 inch/2 centimeters up the sides of the pan. Place on a high heat for 5 minutes and then turn the heat down a fraction.
• Meanwhile, mix the flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Slowly pour in the sparkling water, whisking continuously to form a smooth batter.
• When bubbles start to surface in the oil, test it by dropping some batter into the oil: if it sizzles, you are ready. (The oil should hover between 320 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit/160 and 180 degrees Celsius.)
• Lower a zucchini blossom into the batter, turning to coat completely, before carefully placing in the hot oil. Repeat, cooking a few blossoms at a time, adjusting the temperature between batches so they take about 30 seconds on each side to turn a golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and then sprinkle with salt and the remaining 1/4 tablespoon sumac. Serve at once with the lemon wedges alongside.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Halve zucchini lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Place, cut side up, on sheet and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, oregano, and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Top zucchini with tomato mixture. Bake until zucchini is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Heat broiler, with rack in top position. Top zucchini with mozzarella. Broil until cheese is brown and bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes; serve immediately.

Steps:

• If you have a food mill, quarter tomatoes. If not, peel, seed and chop them. (See step 5.)
• To make tomato sauce, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar and basil sprigs. Increase heat to medium-high. When tomatoes are bubbling briskly, stir and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down and are beginning to stick to pan, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on consistency. Remove basil sprigs; taste and adjust seasoning.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment. Trim ends off zucchini and cut in half crosswise, then into lengthwise slices, about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick. Season on both sides with salt and pepper and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Arrange zucchini slices on baking sheets in one layer and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Roast for 12 minutes, until lightly browned and easily pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 375 degrees.
• If using a food mill, put sauce through medium blade. If not, pulse sauce in a food processor fitted with steel blade until just coarsely puréed. Stir in chopped basil.
• To assemble the dish, oil a 2-quart gratin with olive oil. Spread 1/4 cup tomato sauce over bottom of dish. Arrange a third of the zucchini in an even layer over tomato sauce. Spoon a third of remaining sauce over zucchini and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat with 2 more layers, ending with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Drizzle on remaining tablespoon olive oil. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until bubbling and browned on the top and edges. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.