Fried courgette flowers is a traditional Italian dish that is typical during the courgette season. When in season, in Italy you can find them everywhere from local farmers shops or stalls, to main street supermarkets. It is just normal and a regular appointment of the year.
When I moved to London, I sadly learned that courgette flowers are impossible to find (unless you grow your own) or, even worse, they are often thrown away! Heartbreaking, as you can guess.
Last week however we were able to spot a few courgette flowers at the local market in Cambridge. It goes without saying that we bought a good selection and got back home incredibly excited!
There are different ways to prepare them (plain, stuffed with mozzarella, stuffed with anchovies and mozzarella…). I used feta cheese (as did not have any mozzarella available) and prepared a light tempura-style batter. Absolutely gorgeous!
Fried Courgette Flowers
Ingredients
For the tempura batter
For the filling
Instructions
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Carefully wash and clean each courgette flower. Pat dry them and stuff them with a cube of feta cheese.
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Prepare the batter: place the flour in a bowl, season with salt and pepper. Slowly add the iced water and beat all the ingredients with a fork until you get a smooth batter that is not too liquid nor too thick (if it is too thick, add more iced water; if it is too liquid, add more flour).
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Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Dip the flowers into the batter, coating well, then add to the hot oil in the pan. Deep fry them for 1-2 minutes per side until nicely golden. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate, lined with kitchen paper.
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Enjoy warm!
