Best Fried Cheese Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms Recipes

Fried Cheese-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms image

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis

Time 16m

Yield 8 blossoms

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sparkling water
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/3 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1 green onion, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
8 zucchini blossoms* see Cook's Note
Vegetable oil, for frying

Steps:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, water and salt until smooth. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, basil, and green onion. Mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons filling into each blossom. Close the blossoms and gently twist the petals to seal.
In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 1 minute.) Dip the stuffed zucchini blossoms in the batter and allow any excess batter to drip off. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Allow the cooked blossoms to drain on paper towels.
Season with salt and serve with your favorite marinara sauce or vinaigrette.

Fried Baby Zucchini with Cheese-Stuffed Blossoms image

Yield Makes 4 servings (as part of mezedes)

Number Of Ingredients 8

12 baby zucchini with blossoms attached
2/3 cup whole-milk ricotta (preferably fresh)
2 ounces coarsely grated salted myzithra cheese or ricotta salata (2/3 cup)
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
About 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Special Equipment
a deep-fat thermometer

Steps:

Keeping blossoms attached to zucchini, carefully open blossoms and remove pistil from each. Trim stem ends of zucchini, then, beginning 1/4 inch from blossom end, cut a 2-inch slit lengthwise through center of each zucchini, ending 1/4 inch from stem end (slits will help zucchini cook evenly).
Stir together cheeses, yolk, and oregano in a small bowl until combined well, then season with pepper. Gently open each blossom and fill with 1 to 2 rounded teaspoons of cheese mixture (depending on size of blossoms), then gently twist end of blossom to enclose filling. (You may have leftover filling, depending on size of blossoms.)
Heat 1/3 inch oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet until it registers 360°F on thermometer (see cooks' note, below), then fry zucchini (with blossoms attached) in 2 batches, turning once, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per batch. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 360°F between batches.) Serve zucchini warm or at room temperature.

FRIED CHEESE-STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS image

Yield 3-4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sparkling water
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/3 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) fresh whole-milk ricotta
2 teaspoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1 green onion, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
8 zucchini blossoms, pistils removed
Vegetable oil (or Grapeseed oil, which is preferable), for frying

Steps:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, water and salt until smooth. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, ricotta, heavy cream, basil and green onion. Mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon 11/2 to 2 teaspoons filling into each blossom. Close gently and twist the petals to seal. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 1 minute.) Dip the stuffed zucchini blossoms in the batter and allow any excess batter to drip off. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Allow the cooked blossoms to drain on paper towels. Season with salt and serve with your favorite marinara sauce or vinaigrette.