The flowers taste faintly of zucchini and the dish tastes light, fresh and delicate.
- Pick zucchini flowers in the morning when they are closed. I picked tiny ones since the big ones had already opened, but you can pick larger ones if that’s what your plants produce.
- Select male flowers — there are two sorts of zucchini flower: the flower with the immature vegetable attached is the female and the more eye-catching flower on the long stalk is the male.
- Rinse the zucchini flowers inside and out in cool water to remove all dirt and any bugs.
- Use the flowers right away, if possible. If you are using them later in the day, refrigerate them in a plastic bag.
Ingredients:
- 500g fresh ricotta
- a pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- Salt, pepper to taste
- 1 tomato chopped
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes
- Balsamic syrup (for plating)
Method:
De-stem the flowers.
Mix the ricotta with parmesan, a dash of salt, and nutmeg. Put the ricotta mixture (about 2-3 Tbsp) inside each flower and put in a greased baking tray. Sprinkle with the chopped tomato and drizzle with olive oil.
Put zucchini flowers in the oven, preheated at 180 C for 15 minutes until the flowers are slightly cooked and the cheese has melted.
Serve with chopped cherry tomatoes and a balsamic syrup. (3 stuffed flowers per serving).