There are a handful of recipes that bring me back to my childhood, but this one is one of them. I remember my Nonna making these fresh in the summertime, when the blossoms were available and in season; and she would make hundreds of them. She knew that my brothers and I loved these so much, that she would make so many, in order to be able to freeze them for us to have year-round. A true testament to a Nonna’s love.
Many of you who have followed me on Instagram for the last little while know that my Nonna taught me most of what I know about cooking, and that her recipes are the ones that I cherish most and am most hesitant to share. To me, they are our family heirlooms and they’re priceless. But I also know how much you guys would love for me to share them. A lot of you have messaged me telling me that you’ve lost your Nonnas, and their family recipes left with them. You’ve told me that you’d find some comforting nostalgia in having these recipes available to you, and that’s truly my motivation in sharing them.
This recipe is easy and delicious. It has been in my family for years and will always remind me of summers at my Nonna’s. I hope it brings you that same level of comfort!
Enjoy! XX
Fried Squash Blossoms (Fiore di Zucca)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 crup parmigiano Reggiano finely grated
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 cup sparkling water
- Small bunch fresh basil finely chopped
- canola oil for frying
- 20-30 zucchini flowers (or squash blossoms) washed, dried, stems trimmed, cleaned
- coarse sea salt for sprinkling I use Maldon salt
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients, except the basil, until well-combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients – once well-combined, whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. (This should give a consistency that isn’t too thick, but that also is not runny – if too thick, add a little bubbly water 1 tbsp at a time; if too runny, ass a little flour, 1 tbsp at a time).
- In a heavy-bottom pot, heat up the canola oil for frying (don’t make it too hot, you don’t want to burn the flowers – you can test the oil by dropping some of the batter in; if it floats to the top right away, the oil is ready. The oil should never bubble).
- Dip each flower into the batter to coat entirely, letting the excess drip off.
- Carefully place the flower into the oil – fry, flipping sides halfway, until lightly golden and cooked through.
- Like a baking sheet with paper towel (optionally, place a wire rack on top of that), place the cooked flowers on top, to drain the excess oil.
- Sprinkle with coarse salt right away and serve immediately.
