Fiori di Zucca (fried zucchini blossoms)

I know, I know...fried food is terrible for you. It really is. There’s no way around it (I.e. remember Olestra in the 90’s??? I do! My intestines still do! 😆). Anyway, I digress... I generally try to stay away from anything fried...for the most part. Buuuut, once in a while- I allow myself to indulge.

(no judgement here. Just balance.)

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And anyone who has ever been to Italy, or enjoys Italian cuisine - will be familiar with fried zucchini flowers, or sometimes referred to as zucchini “blossoms” or “squash blossoms” (which, actually, isn’t a bastardization of a typically Italian dish- it’s an actual translation. In Italian- these yummies are “fiori di zucca”- and I’m not sure why- because zucca is pumpkin (or squash) and they are absolutely, 100%, without a doubt- “fiori di zucchine.” I’ve seen them in living color- sprouting from the tops of zucchini.

Oh well, you get it right?

I digress...yet again.

😬

So in Italy, “fiori di zucca” are generally stuffed with either mozzarella or ricotta and then breaded (like tempura) and deep fried.

I veganized these by making a #vegancheese stuffing and then “gluten-freed” them.

And if you’re wondering, here’s how I did it:

For the vegan cheese:

One tub vegan cream cheese or similar

5 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions: mix all the ingredients together and spoon them into the insides of fresh and washed #zucchiniflowers.

For the batter:

1 cup gf flour blend

1 cup seltzer water

1 tsp pink salt (Whisk together and set aside for 10 mins)

Instructions: once I stuffed the blossoms with the cheese, I slightly twisted the tops closed and dipped them in the batter.

I then fried them in a deep pan I had already heated 1/2 frying oil and 1/2 olive oil in. Let them simmer for about 2 minutes and then flip- once golden brown, take them out of the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a dish lined with paper towels.

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Enjoy. And just an FYI- one of my friends who tried these (someone who is neither vegan nor gluten free- and who has lived in Italy for over 10 years and eaten her fair share of “fiori di zucca”) said that these were the best she’s ever had.No joke. 😉👊🏻

And one last thing: I’ve made these before and baked them. Not the same thing. Sorry. Not sorry! 😂🙏🏻😘