INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Ricotta, fresh if possible, or sheep’s milk ricotta
12-16 fresh zucchini flowers
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Fine sea salt
1 Tablespoon minced fresh basil
HOW TO:
If your ricotta is watery, drain it in a sieve to remove excess whey. Soak the zucchini flowers in cool water, then spin-dry in a salad spinner. Removing the stamens is unnecessary.
Pack the ricotta into a pastry bag- I use a disposable one and a simply cut the tip off the end. Insert the end of the pastry bag into the zucchini flowers and pipe one or two spoonfuls of ricotta into each.
Drizzle 1 Tablespoon extra virgin in a large nonstick skillet. Place the stuffed flowers in the skillet in a single layer and place the pan over the highest heat. When the pan heats and the oil begins to sizzle, cover and cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until the flowers are hot, steamed by the moisture of the ricotta. Transfer to a serving dish and top with pepper, sea salt, minced basil and the remaining extra virgin.
Buon Appetito!
