Cucina Calabrese: Frittelle with Zucchini Flowers

My face lights up brighter than the sun on a warm late spring/early summer day when I see zucchini flowers tucked into a small crate outside my local fruit vendor.

These incredibly vibrant and bright yellow flowers can only mean one thing….Summer is “alla porta“….

But, more importantly, it means we can make and indulge in one of my favorite summertime recipes: Fritelle di Fiori di Zucca

These have always been a favorite treat. Growing up we would make the usual weekend visit to see relatives. When zucchini flowers were in bloom, I knew these treats would be waiting for me at my Zia’s house. They were always freshly made from the zucchini flowers of my Zio’s prized vegetable garden. You don’t need the flowers to enjoy this recipe, but “secondo me” (in my opinion), they just taste so much better with them!

I have been trying to learn some of the traditional recipes I’ve grown up with. I really wanted to learn and perfect this recipe because it is both traditional and has special memories. Like many traditional recipes, there are different versions and every family has a different method, here is just one!

The best photo I could get because everyone was already starting to devour them!

Fried Zucchini Flowers (Fritelle di Fiori di Zucca)

Here’s what you need:

Ingredients:
250 grams of flour
2 eggs
130ml cold water (I like to use mineral water)
salt and pepper (as to your taste)
grated Parmesan cheese*optional*
zucchini flowers (about 12-15)

**keep in mind you may need to play around with the quantities – experimenting is fun!**

Here’s what you do:

First, let’s prepare the zucchini flowers:
Gently rinse the zucchini flowers under cold water, removing the stems. Lay them out on a paper towel and gently pat them dry.

Now it’s time to make the batter:
It’s super simple, just mix all the ingredients together so that it forms a consistency slightly thicker than pancake mix.

Now cut the flowers into strips and mix them into the batter. This next step you can skip this step, but I like to put the batter with zucchini flowers in the fridge for about a half an hour so that it thickens up a bit more. I find it holds its shape better when frying.

Now they are ready to fry. Heat up some oil in a deep frying pan and scoop a small amount of batter with a spoon and lightly drop it into the heated oil.

You’ll know they are ready with they are golden a crispy!

***

And there you go…. simple and super delicious!

Do you have a similar recipe to this where you live? Are you Calabrese and have a different way of preparing these? I’d love to know in the comments below.

This post is part of the #DolceVitaBloggers Linkup hosted by Jasmine, Kelly and Kristie the 3rd Sunday of every month. Check out my previous #DolceVitaBloggers blog posts here.

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LuLu

Originally from Toronto but currently living in Calabria, blogging about my life and love for all things Italian!

Mike
November 26, 2019 at 10:00 pm

Have you tried fried dandelion flowers,prepared the same way?
1. LuLu
  November 29, 2019 at 10:27 pm
  
  Hi Mike, thanks for your comment! 🙂 No, I’ve never tried dandelion flowers prepared this way, but I’d totally try it!
Kristie Prada
July 2, 2019 at 2:49 pm

I love making these! In the UK the courgettes never actually turn into vegetables as it doesn’t get hot enough so I always have loads of flowers! I will definitely try this recipe. I usually stuff mine with goats cheese which is also yummy.
1. LuLu
  July 5, 2019 at 7:34 am
  
  I’ve also had them stuffed, but I grew up eating frittelle this way, they are definitely my favourite! 🙂
Jasmine
June 27, 2019 at 9:15 am

Hey LuLu! Thank you for sharing this recipe, it’s actually one that I’ve always been too “scared” to make! I don’t know why but anything that involves deep frying always makes me nervous but you made it seem so easy. I have to go see if I can still get some flowers or if it’s too late. The ones in your photograph look amazing!! Thanks for the great post for #DolceVitaBloggers this month! Love, Jasmine.
1. LuLu
  June 29, 2019 at 5:06 pm
  
  Frying can be intimidating, it took me a bit to become more confident working with hot oil! 🙂 You should definitely try to make them, or even better, come to Calabria and you can try them here! 😛
Kelly
June 22, 2019 at 11:55 pm

How beautiful are those zucchini flowers, Lulu!!! We just planted some zucchini in the garden, and I cannot wait to use this recipe when we have some blooms! I just had fried elderflowers in Alto Adige…I can say I’m a fan of friend flowers, lol! Thank you for joining us! #DolceVitaBloggers ❤️
1. LuLu
  June 23, 2019 at 2:23 pm
  
  Zucchini flowers are the only flowers I’ve ever tried fried, but now I’m curious haha
Lucy and Kelly
June 20, 2019 at 5:19 am

We love how you have similar memories to us with this dish!! We haven’t had it in so long, but it’s one of our favourites. When Grandad would bring them back from the allotment and Nanna would be preparing them in the kitchen it was always such a big surprise and we loved it. Now when we go to shops in Italy and see them we can’t help but get super excited!! 🙂 We definitely need to find and make some! 🙂
Lucy and Kelly xx
theblossomtwins.com
1. LuLu
  June 23, 2019 at 2:22 pm
  
  I love it! It just goes to show you that when something is made with love, it tastes that much better! 🙂
Carmela
June 19, 2019 at 10:47 am

These Fritelle di Fiori di Zucca look so tasty! I must try them sometime. #DolceVitaBloggers
1. Cristina
  June 24, 2019 at 2:12 am
  
  Mmmm! I love fiori di zucca. I get some from my own garden, but not for a while yet. When I’m in Puglia, I’ll be enjoying them whenever available. I like frittelle, it I usually batter and fry them whole, or sometimes bake them with caciocavallo and mint inside. They also make a great risotto. Hope I can find some soon. I want to cry when I walk past a Canadian garden and they clearly do not know that you can eat the flowers! Buon appetito, Cristina
  1. LuLu
    June 29, 2019 at 5:04 pm
    
    Oh yes, I’ve also had them stuffed and fried whole. I love them either way, they are just so good! 🙂 It really is sad to think of the flowers being tossed aside because people think you can’t eat them!
Vivian
June 18, 2019 at 8:47 pm

Oh, Lord, my mouth is watering! Thanks for the recipe. Now, to find some zucchini flowers!
1. LuLu
  June 23, 2019 at 2:20 pm
  
  I hope you do! 🙂