Fiori di Zucca Fritti

Name: Fiori di Zucca Fritti
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Laziale
Ingredients: 12 pieces fiori di zucca (courgette flowers); 150 g mozzarella; 6 fillets alici sott'olio (anchovy fillets in oil); 150 g Plain flour; 200 ml sparkling mineral water; 1 l peanut oil; 3 g Fine sea salt

Crisp, batter-fried courgette flowers filled with melting mozzarella and savoury anchovies, a quintessential Roman antipasto.

🇮🇹Italy· Lazio

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 40 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 340 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

12 pieces fiori di zucca (courgette flowers) — fresh and intact, stems trimmed
150 g mozzarella — fiordilatte or well-drained mozzarella, cut into 12 batons
6 fillets alici sott'olio (anchovy fillets in oil) — drained and halved lengthwise
150 g Plain flour — tipo 00 or all-purpose
200 ml sparkling mineral water — ice-cold
1 l peanut oil — for deep-frying
3 g Fine sea salt — to season after frying

Equipment

•Deep heavy-bottomed pan
•Slotted spoon or spider
•Whisk
•Mixing bowl
•Paper towels

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 340 kcal
fat: 20 g
carbs: 28 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 12 g
calories: 340 kcal

Instructions

1
Pat the mozzarella strips dry with paper towels to prevent oil splattering during frying.
2
Gently open each flower and snip out the central yellow pistil without tearing petals.
3
Place one strip of mozzarella and half an anchovy fillet inside each flower cavity.
4
Twist the flower tips lightly to seal the filling completely inside.
5
Whisk the plain flour and ice-cold sparkling water together quickly until a smooth batter forms.
6
Heat the peanut oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan to 175°C.
7
Dip each stuffed flower into the batter, allowing excess to drip off gently.
8
Fry three or four flowers at a time for three minutes until crisp and lightly golden.
9
Remove the flowers with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
10
Sprinkle immediately with sea salt and serve while hot and crisp.

Chef's tips

Ensure the sparkling water is ice-cold, as thermal shock creates an extraordinarily crisp crust in the hot oil. Avoid over-stuffing the delicate petals so the cheese stays sealed inside during frying. Do not wash the blossoms under running water; simply wipe them gently with a damp paper towel.

Ingredient substitutions

alici sott'olio (anchovy fillets in oil) → oil-packed sun-dried tomato strips for a vegetarian version
mozzarella → provola affumicata (smoked cheese) for a deeper savoury note
peanut oil → high-oleic sunflower oil for frying

Storage

These are best enjoyed immediately and are not suitable for refrigerated storage as the crust loses all crispness.

Reheating

If necessary, crisp leftover flowers on a wire rack in an oven heated to 200°C for five minutes.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Frying wet mozzarella, which releases water, splatters oil, and turns the crust soggy.
•Overcrowding the pan, which drops the oil temperature and produces greasy flowers.
•Mixing the batter too far in advance, causing it to lose its aerating carbonation.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately as a hot antipasto before a Roman pasta course.Pair with a glass of crisp, chilled Frascati Superiore DOCG white wine.Serve alongside other classic Roman fried appetisers such as supplì.