Stuffed courgette flowers (fiori di zucca ripieni)

This is another example of a very easy and tasty Mediterranean starter. Courgette flowers have a very delicate flavor and are usually cooked stuffed with rice in Greece and Turkey, or otherwise with fresh cheese in Italy.

Start by preparing the filling, mixing in a bowl the ricotta with the Parmesan. Season with some pepper, a pinch of salt and some extra virgin olive oil.

Delicately clean the flowers, cut off their stems and tips if you wish (this is only important for the presentation, but it’s not really important. In the presentation photo you can see that I have left the tips). Remove the pistil, since it can sometimes be a bit bitter. Arrange them on an absorbent kitchen paper in order to dry them.

Use a spoon to stuff the flowers with the filling and arrange them in a tray, which should be previously brushed with a little olive oil (just enough so that the flowers don’t stick). Optionally, sprinkle a little more Parmesan cheese on top and bake them for no more than 10 minutes, in a preheated oven at 180°.

Tips and tricks:

1. Since the flowers are very delicate, wash them carefully and keep an eye while baking, since they can get burnt very quickly. Once purchased, they should also be cooked as soon as possible.
2. The suggested filling is usual and simple but the variants are countless, and I encourage you to try other possibilities such as ham (or bacon) and cheese, mozzarella and anchovies, caprese, etc. 7
3. I like to add some shredded mozzarella into the mix as well. In this way the filling acquires a little more consistency after cooking.
4. It is possible to use other cheeses such as robiola, provolone, etc, but the pairing of the flowers with the ricotta is unbeatable.
5. Another usual possibility is to fry the flowers (sometimes previously breaded). I always suggest the less caloric variant, but this option is to be taken into account if you don’t want to turn on the oven just for this recipe.
6. In Greece there is a similar recipe using Myzithra, a delicious fresh cheese made from sheep or goat milk, or a mixture of both.