In season now, zucchini flowers can be filled with a variety of ingredients and cooked in different ways. Although most people are familiar with the deep-fried, mozzarella-filled flowers, in the heat of summer I prefer this lighter recipe, which has the zucchini flowers filled with ricotta and gently baked for only 30 seconds, then served with basil sauce and cherry tomatoes.
Filled zucchini flowers - Fiori di zucca ripieni - serves 4
12 zucchini (or courgette) flowers, 500g of ricotta, nutmeg, parmigiano reggiano, salt, pepper, basil, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar glaze.
Take out the flower's stamen. Mix ricotta with parmigiano cheese, salt, nutmeg. For the basil sauce, put basil leaves in a blender with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Put the ricotta mixture inside each flower. Put zucchini flowers in the oven, preheated at 180 C for only 30 seconds. Serve with basil sauce, quartered cherry tomatoes and decorate with balsamic vinegar glaze.
