If you’ve been going to the farmer’s market, or have your own little garden, you’ve likely seen squash blossoms for sale/popping up. These blossoms are not only pretty, but they make a delicious side to your summer meal. My blossoms are packed full of flavor, soft on the inside, and lightly crisped on the exterior. Give them a try and see what you’ve been missing from your life! If you don’t want to go through the hassle of frying, you can always skip the batter and bake the stuffed blossoms in the oven, but they won’t be as fun to eat.
Stuffed Squash Blossoms
12 Fresh squash blossoms
10 oz ricotta cheese
2 tbsp grated Pecorino-Romano cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
1 egg, lightly beaten
12 mint leaves and 6 basil leaves, chiffonade
½ cup each of cake flour and AP flour
2 tsp cornstarch
1 cup dry vermouth
Seltzer water
Oil for frying
Prepare the filling in a small bowl by combining the cheese, lemon zest, and most of the beaten egg. Season with salt and pepper and mix to combine.
Stir in the sliced herbs, and add the egg only if your mixture is too stiff. The cheese filling should be thick and slightly stable so it will stay in place in the blossom. Place in the refrigerator until ready to fry.
Snip, slice, or carefully pull apart the blossoms, opening them and removing the pistil, taking care not to rip the blossom any further. Discard the pistil.
Add the flour, via a sifter, in a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk in the cornstarch until just combined.
Add in the vermouth and a splash of seltzer. Whisk until smooth, adding in any additional seltzer to thin out the batter. It should be the consistency of pancake batter.
Heat the oil 350 degrees in a pot set over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, using a teaspoon, fill the blossoms with the cheese mixture and close them up, giving a light twist at the end of the petals.
Once the oil has reached temperature, dip 2 blossoms into the batter, and allow most of the excess to drip off before placing in the oil.
Fry four battered blossoms at-a-time until golden brown all over. Flip the blossoms after 2 minutes and continue to monitor.
Remove the fried blossoms and place on a baking sheet line with a cooling rack. Season with flaky sea salt and allow them to cool for a few minutes prior to serving. Do not wait longer than about 5 minutes to serve.
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Copyright 2024, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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