Chef Graziella
Asparagi al Forno con Parmigiano
Roasted asparagus finished with aged Parmigiano-Reggiano from the same region that grows the best spears. Four ingredients. No complications. Nothing to hide behind.
Culinary Explorer
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Fiori di Zucca Fritti
Created by
Roman street food at its most fleeting: zucchini blossoms stuffed with mozzarella and anchovy, dipped in a batter of ice water and flour, fried until golden and shatteringly crisp.
Side Dishes
Italian, Roman
Special Occasion
Dinner Party
45 min
Active Time
20 min cook•1 hr 5 min total
Yield4 servings (12 blossoms)
In Rome, when the summer heat presses down on the city and sensible people stay indoors until evening, vendors in the Campo de' Fiori and the old Ghetto sell these golden flowers from trays still glistening with oil. You eat them standing up, burning your fingers, the molten mozzarella stretching as you bite through the shattering crust.
The batter is barely there. It should crackle and dissolve on the tongue, leaving only a whisper of crispness. This is not tempura, not Southern fried anything, not beer-battered pub food. It is a Roman preparation that depends on restraint: flour, water, salt. The carbonation in the water provides lift. The ice-cold temperature prevents gluten from developing. The result is transparency.
What you keep out is as significant as what you put in. No eggs, which make batter heavy. No baking powder, which tastes of chemicals. No herbs in the filling, which would compete with the delicate flavor of the blossom itself. The anchovy provides salt and a depth that most people cannot identify. They taste only that something is profoundly right.
Fiori di zucca fritti emerged from the Jewish kitchens of Rome's Ghetto, where cooks developed a tradition of frying vegetables in the lightest possible batters. The dish spread through the city's street vendors and trattorias in the 19th century. Today it remains inseparable from Roman summer, appearing on menus only when the blossoms are in season, from late spring through early autumn.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
fresh zucchini blossoms
Quantity
12
stems attached
fresh mozzarella
Quantity
4 ounces
cut into 12 small batons
anchovy fillets
Quantity
6
oil-packed, halved lengthwise
all-purpose flour
Quantity
1 cup
sparkling water
Quantity
1 cup
ice-cold
fine sea salt
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
vegetable oil or light olive oil
Quantity
about 3 cups
for frying
flaky sea salt
Quantity
for finishing
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| fresh zucchini blossomsstems attached | 12 |
| fresh mozzarellacut into 12 small batons | 4 ounces |
| anchovy filletsoil-packed, halved lengthwise | 6 |
| all-purpose flour | 1 cup |
| sparkling waterice-cold | 1 cup |
| fine sea salt | 1/2 teaspoon |
| vegetable oil or light olive oilfor frying | about 3 cups |
| flaky sea salt | for finishing |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy pot or deep skillet for frying
- •Instant-read or deep-fry thermometer
- •Wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet
- •Slotted spoon or spider
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the blossoms
Handle the blossoms with care. They are fragile and bruise easily. Gently open each flower and peer inside. Remove the pistil, that stiff yellow spike at the center. It is bitter and serves no purpose here. Leave the stem attached. Check for insects. Shake gently, do not rinse. Water destroys the delicate petals and prevents the batter from adhering.
- 2
Stuff the blossoms
Take one baton of mozzarella and one half-anchovy. Tuck them together inside the blossom, pushing gently toward the base. The petals should close around the filling naturally. Twist the tips of the petals together to seal, or leave them slightly open. Either is traditional. The filling must not fall out during frying, so be certain it is secured. Repeat with the remaining blossoms.
The anchovy is not optional. It provides the salt and depth that transforms this from pleasant to memorable. Those who claim to dislike anchovy have never tasted one properly used. They will not taste fish. They will taste only rightness. - 3
Make the batter
Put the flour in a bowl. Add the salt. Pour in the ice-cold sparkling water all at once and whisk briefly, no more than ten seconds. The batter should be thin, like heavy cream, with lumps remaining. Do not whisk until smooth. Overworking develops gluten and creates a heavy, bready coating. The lumps disappear during frying. The cold temperature and carbonation create the characteristic lightness. Make the batter immediately before frying.
Some Roman cooks add a tablespoon of white wine to the batter. Others insist on plain water. Both are correct. What matters is the temperature: the water must be ice-cold. This is not negotiable. - 4
Heat the oil
Pour oil into a heavy pot or deep skillet to a depth of at least two inches. Heat over medium-high until the temperature reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you lack a thermometer, drop a small bit of batter into the oil. It should sizzle immediately and rise to the surface within two seconds. If it sinks and sits, the oil is too cold. If it browns instantly, too hot. Maintain this temperature throughout frying.
- 5
Fry the blossoms
Working in batches of three or four, hold each stuffed blossom by the stem and dip it into the batter, coating completely. Let excess drip for two seconds. Lower gently into the hot oil, laying away from yourself to prevent splashing. Fry until golden and crisp, turning once with a slotted spoon, about two minutes total. The blossoms should be the color of pale straw, not dark brown. Remove to a rack set over a baking sheet. Do not drain on paper towels. The blossoms will steam and become soggy.
Never crowd the pot. Too many blossoms lower the oil temperature and produce greasy, limp results. Three or four at a time. Patience. - 6
Serve immediately
Scatter flaky salt over the blossoms while they are still hot. The salt will not adhere once they cool. Serve at once, within two or three minutes of frying. There is no reheating, no holding, no making ahead. The blossom is at its peak for perhaps five minutes before the batter softens. Your guests must be seated and ready. This is not food that waits.
Chef Tips
- •Buy blossoms in the morning and use them that day. They wilt within hours. If you must store them, lay them in a single layer on damp paper towels, cover loosely, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before stuffing.
- •Male blossoms, which grow on long stems without a zucchini attached, are preferred for stuffing. Female blossoms, attached to baby zucchini, can be used but are smaller and more fragile.
- •Mozzarella di bufala is too wet for this preparation. Use fior di latte, the cow's milk mozzarella, or the filling will steam instead of melting properly.
- •If anchovy truly offends your guests, you may substitute a small strip of prosciutto. Know that you are making a lesser version of the dish.
Advance Preparation
- •The blossoms can be cleaned and stuffed up to two hours ahead. Lay them in a single layer, cover with a damp towel, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before battering.
- •The batter must be made immediately before frying. It cannot wait. The moment the water warms and the carbonation dissipates, the batter loses its purpose.
- •There is no reheating. There is no saving for later. These are eaten the moment they leave the oil. Plan accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 160g)
Calories
320 calories
Total Fat
20 g
Saturated Fat
6 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
13 g
Cholesterol
25 mg
Sodium
800 mg
Total Carbohydrates
25 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Sugars
0 g
Protein
12 g
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