Sciurilli

The bad thing about having a fixed fried chicken idea for the last IMBB? was that I completely forgot about a little fried something I had prepared a while back and forgot to post about: fried zucchini blossoms.

In Naples fried zucchini blossoms, locally called sciurilli or fiorilli, are a very popular item, both at home, in pizzerias and in places serving street food like friggitorie specialized in fried morsels. When the season comes it is quite easy to find these blossoms on sale at your greengrocer. Here in Germany, unless you have a friend with a garden, and plenty of blossoms to spare, you have to hope for an Italian friend (or relative) to pop by at the right. Which is exactly how I lay my hand on those zucchini blossoms pictured above.

There are plenty of recipes for fried zucchini blossoms, stuffed or not, and using a variety of batters. While all can be pretty tasty when done properly I prefer mine as simple as possible: stamen removed, coated in a batter of flour and beer (pilsner) and fried, possibly in olive oil, till crisp. I simply find that the anything else covers the delicate taste of the blossoms too much. What is really important to get them crisp and dry is, as always when frying, to get the oil temperature right, otherwise you'll end up with soggy, heavy digestible oil filled batter sponges, and that is as disgusting as it sounds. 175°C (345°F) works just fine. Below you can see the finished fried zucchini blossoms together with a sliced Sorrento pink tomato I posted about last time.

Comments

[fiordizucca]

did mine without beer, i will try next time with :) how much beer though?

[Sabrina]

I spent some time in Italy this summer with friends and one evening my friend made fried zucchini blossoms. So good. She also fried many other things that night - rabbit, onions, zucchini, potatoes. What a feast.

[Karen]

I've always wondered how fried flowers looked. We use squash flowers in vegetable stir-fries and stews. Perhaps I can do this next time.

"Here in Germany"? Are the two weeks up? Ah, these are scheduled posts... ?

[Gia]

Oh I love these. In Rome they stuff them with anchovies and mozzarella. I like them both ways, stuffed and unstuffed. Lately, I have even seen the blossoms at the Carrefour.

[wasabi]

My first taste of fried blossoms came as a bit of a mystery--they were unidentifiable things on a platter of fritto misto. And they ended being my favorite out of the whole lot--cardoons, squash, artichokes, lemons.

ever since, i've begged friends at home (i do not garden. seriously i kill mint) for their spare blossoms. And just last week, the squash/zucchini sick friends delivered dozens of blossoms and we fried some up. and stuffed others with various cheeses and some leftover risotto in the fridge.

not bad. :)

[Paz]

I've only recently learned about these blossoms and I've seen some enticing recipes, which I'd like to try. Sadly, the season for the blossoms are over. Oh, well. Next season, I'll be ready.

Paz

[Alberto]

fioridizucca: as much beer as you need to get a batter like the one for crepes, if you don't like the taste of beer you can also use sparkling mineral water, which works nicely.

Karen, the two weeks are just over and unfortunately, as Paz rightly mentions, blossom season is over... at least here. Do you still get any in the Philippines?

Sabrina, Gia and Wasabi: thanks for sharing your zucchini blossom experiences. After reading what you wrote you have no idea how much I'd love to have a nice fritto misto before just right now!

[Karen]

Ah, Alberto you forget I'm in a tropical country. But the flowers were more abundanta month ago. We still have them but not as 'flamboyant' as the ones in the summer. They're used in soups too.

[johanna]

i recently made some too - i DID stuff them, though, with a mild goats cheese and thyme, then drizzled them with honey. i also swear by the beer batter. now, i must try not stuffing them and see what that tastes like... next spring!

[Alberto]

Johanna, the stuffing you used sounds intriguing and I would never have thought about honey though I can see that it would work. Oh well... to next spring!