Fried Squash Blossoms with Ricotta
I have never met anyone who doesn’t like these squash blossoms. It would seem like it would be hard to go wrong, considering the combination of deep-fried batter and ricotta cheese, but I find that rarely do restaurants get the filling right. It took us a lot of tries to come up with ours, but luckily Matt and I both knew what we wanted and we both wanted the same thing, which was a light fluffy filling that also had a melting component, which is why we added mozzarella. We dip the blossoms in tempura batter because we like how light and crunchy tempura is. I try not to be brand-specific in my recipes, but in this case we recommend you use Mochiko rice flour, which you can find at conventional grocery stores, and which we think makes for the crispest finished product.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 40 squash blossoms
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, egg, salt, and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or nutmeg, if desired. Use the filling or transfer to an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Step 2
Trim all but the last 1 inch of the squash blossom stems and discard. Use a small sharp knife to gently cut an incision the length of a blossom to open it. Gently open the flower to reveal the stamen and use the knife to cut it off and discard. Repeat with the remaining blossoms.
Step 3
Working one at a time, lay a squash blossom on your work surface, open it up, and spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling inside. Some blossoms may take more or less filling, depending on their size. You don’t want to overstuff the blossoms; you want the filling to come up to just where the blossom starts to break off into multiple petals. Close the blossom and press it gently in the palm of your hand to squeeze the filling down toward the stem. With your other hand, grab the petals at the top and twist them slightly to close the blossoms and seal the cheese inside. Repeat with the remaining blossoms and filling.
Step 4
Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Put the flour in a bowl smaller than that with the ice water. Add the sparkling water and whisk until smooth. It should be the consistency of thin pancake batter; add more water if it is too thick. Place the bowl with the batter in the ice bath to keep it cold.
Step 5
Fasten a deep- fry thermometer to the side of a medium saucepan and fill the saucepan 3 to 4 inches deep with the oil. Heat the oil over medium- high heat until the thermometer registers 350°F. While the oil is heating, line a baking sheet with paper towels.
Step 6
Working in batches of about six at a time, carefully drop the squash blossoms in the batter and gently turn to coat them all over. Pick one blossom out of the batter, give it a twist to close it again, and carefully drop it stem first into the oil. Repeat with the remaining blossoms that are in the batter and fry until they are golden brown, turning them so they brown evenly, 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the blossoms from the oil and transfer them to the paper towels to drain. Squeeze a drop of lemon juice on each blossom, season with the sea salt, and serve immediately.
Step 7
Use a slotted spoon to clean the cooked bits out of the oil. Add more oil to the pan if it has dropped below 3 inches and wait for the oil to heat to 350°F. Repeat, battering and frying the remaining blossoms in the same way, until you’ve fried all of the squash blossoms.
Suggested Wine Pairing
Step 8
Prosecco di Valdobbiadene (Veneto)
