DEEP-FRIED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS

DEEP-FRIED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS image

Yield For 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

For the batter:
300g Tipo '00' flour
100ml extra virgin olive oil
Warm water
4 large free-range organic egg whites
1 tsp sea salt
For the frying:
24 zucchini flowers
750ml sunflower oil
Sea salt

Steps:

Sieve the flour into a medium-sized mixing bowl, make a well in the centre, pour in the olive oil and carefully stir, starting in the centre, to slowly combine the flour into the oil, making a thick paste. Loosen this mixture with a little warm water, slowly stirring all the time and adding more water until you have a smooth batter, the consistency of thick double cream. Add the sea salt and leave for a minimum of half an hour. At this stage, the mixture will keep for a day or overnight. To prepare the flowers, remove the stamens from the centre and the green sepals from the base of each flower. Keep the stalks attached. Use a large deep frying pan and pour in 1cm of sunflower oil. Heat the oil until hot, about 180C. Drop a little batter into the oil to test; it should become golden within a few seconds. Dip the flowers - holding them by the stalks - into the batter. Tap off any excess batter on the side of the bowl and place them, one at a time, into the hot oil. Do this in batches, turning the flowers over in the oil as they become golden - you may need to add extra oil, so try to keep it at a constant temperature. Remove the flowers after about two to four minutes, when crisp, and drain on kitchen paper. Scatter with sea salt and eat immediately.