Stuffed courgette flowers with ricotta and herbs
One of the greatest joys I’ve derived from growing our own vegetables has been the daily appearance of courgette flowers in mid-summer. An item I’d previously thought could only be bought at vast expense from specialist Italian food markets or in smart Italian restaurants, currently (I’m writing in mid-August) appears outside my sitting room window each and every day. I feel it’s my absolute duty to use these stunning yellow blooms and this is the easiest and most delicious way I’ve found to do so.
Ingredients
- 12 courgette flowers
- 150g fresh ricotta cheese
- 3 tbsp grated parmesan
- large handful of roughly chopped herbs (mint, basil, dill)
- zest of one lemon
- salt & pepper
Details
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Serves: 4 as a starter or side dish
Method
Pre-heat oven to 180°C.
If necessary, carefully wash and pat dry the courgette flowers.
In a bowl, thoroughly mix together the rest of the ingredients.
Taking great care not to tear the petals, open up each courgette flower and stuff with approximately one teaspoon of the cheese and herb mixture. Bring the petals together at the tips and twist them around to seal the mixture inside. Place the flowers on a foil-lined baking tray, ideally just big enough to fit all the flowers in snugly.
Drizzle with olive oil and a splash of water before covering with baking paper and cooking for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until golden.
Serve immediately.
Drinks
An elegant Italian white or, for a more intense flavour experience, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc work well here.
- Morrisons The Best Gavi 2018, Italy (£7.50)
- Yealands Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (£15.95, Great Western Wine and indies)