Recipe supplied by www.to-tuscany.com
Fried Courgette Flowers (Fiori di Zucca Fritti)
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Calories: 260 per serving
Expertise level: 1 out of 3
Ingredients:
courgette flowers
275 ml sparkling water
185 g flour
salt to taste
seed oil
Instructions
1) First prepare the batter. Sieve the flour into a large bowl, and gradually add the water while mixing to avoid any lumps. Once you have a smooth batter without any lumps, add the salt. Place the batter into the fridge for at least half an hour
2) Carefully wash the flowers, then gently immerse them into cold water. Drain well and gently pat dry with a clean tea towel. Using your fingers, remove the courgette flowers from the stems and then remove the pollen-covered pistils from the inside and the bits at the base of the flowers. The dough should be quite soft. Roll the dough into a ball, place into a floured bowl and cover with a clean tea towel or cling film.
3) Place the clean courgette flowers into a bowl. Heat some seed oil in a large frying pan. Now gently cover the flowers in batter, one at a time, being careful not to break them. Then immediately add each flower to the boiling oil, making sure to turn while cooking. As soon as the flowers are ready, drain and place in a bowl lined with kitchen paper to remove any excess oil. Serve the courgette flowers while still hot.