L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 30 L'Italo-Americano LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES FRANK FARIELLO Continued to page 32 L ucky me! I found some zucchini blos- soms at our local market this week for the first time in at least two years. Why they waited until the very end of the summer to start selling them, I can't ima- gine. But I'm not one to look the proverbial gift horse in the mouth: I absolutely adore zuc- chini blossoms, so this was a rare treat! I usually make zucchini blos- soms filled with mozzarella and anchovy, then battered and fried in olive oil. But this week I felt like something different. From Liguria comes this recipe for zucchini blossoms fil- led with a savory mixture of potato and other vegetables, usually either green beans or zucchini or a mixture of both, scented with garlic, basil and marjoram. The filled blossoms are then drizzled with olive oil and baked until golden brown, a lighter option than the usual deep fried version, but just as delicious. Although sometimes catego- rized as a contorno or side dish, I think the flavors here are too complex for that. I'd serve these zucchini blossoms as an antipa- sto or light main course. Ingredients About 12 zucchini blossoms Olive oil For the filling: 250g (8 oz) potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges 250g (8 oz) green beans, trimmed, or zucchini, trimmed and cut into lengths, or a mixture of both 30g (1 oz) grated parmesan cheese, or more if needed 1 clove of garlic, finely min- ced 1 egg A handful of basil leaves, finely minced A sprig of marjoram, finely minced A drizzle of olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste Directions Boil — or better, steam — the potatoes and green beans for about 5 minutes, then add the zucchini and continue cooking until all the vegetables are fully tender. Drain. Pass the vegetables through a food mill, using the medium dish. Mix well and place the resulting purée in a non-stick skillet over gentle heat, stirring constantly, until any excess liquid has evaporated. You'll know it's done when the purée thickens so it comes away easily from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the purée to a mixing bowl and let it cool completely. Add the rest of the filling's ingredients to the bowl and mix until the purée is smooth and homogeneous. It should be rather thick. If need be, mix in some more grated parmesan to tighten it up. Taste and adjust for seaso- ning; the purée should be quite savory. Now for the slightly tricky part: open each zucchini blossom and gingerly remove the pistil inside, taking care not to bruise the petals or opening them too much. Fill the center of each zucchi- ni blossom with some of the purée. This is best done with a pastry bag if you have one. If you don't, you can improvise by snipping off one corner of a ZipLock or other plastic bag. (In a pinch, you can spoon the filling into the blossom, but it's a rather tedious and delicate job). Fill them well, but leave some room at the tip. As you fill each blossom, twist the end to close it up, then place them in a pre-oiled baking dish. Drizzle everything with olive oil. Bake in a hot (200C/400F) oven for about 20-30 minutes, until the zucchini blossoms are heated through and have brow- ned on top. Serve warm or at room tem- perature. Notes on Ligurian Style Zucchini Blossoms Here in the US, zucchini blossoms can be hard to find. Mostly you'll find them at far- mer's markets and, even there, there's no guarantee. As I said, it had been two years since I last spotted them in my local market. Still, they're a treat worth kee- ping an eye out for. If you haven't had zucchini blossoms, their taste is difficult to describe, delicate yet very distinctive—and, oddly enough, not all that much like zucchini. And speaking of their deli- Zucchini blossoms are not simple to find here in the US, but if you come across them, you're in for a treat! (Copyright: Dreamstime) Fiori di zucca alla Ligure (Ligurian-Style Zucchini Blossoms)

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