Italian cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Fiori di Zucca Fritti

Zucchini flowers filled with mozzarella and anchovy, deep-fried in a thin beer batter until golden.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 12 zucchini flowers
• 150 g mozzarella
• 6 anchovy fillets
• 120 g flour
• 180 ml light beer
• 1 l oil for frying
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Carefully open the zucchini flowers, twist out the stamen inside and just wipe the flowers dry – don't wash them, or they'll fall apart.
2. Drain the mozzarella well and cut into finger-thick strips; halve the anchovy fillets lengthwise.
3. Slide a strip of mozzarella and half an anchovy fillet into each flower, season lightly with pepper and twist the petals together at the top.
4. Whisk the flour with the cold beer and a pinch of salt until smooth – the batter should be thin and coat the flowers in only a delicate layer.
5. Heat the frying oil to 175°C, dip the flowers one by one in the batter and fry in batches for 2–3 min. until golden.
6. Drain on paper towels, season with salt and serve immediately, while the cheese inside is still molten.