A few years ago, my wife and I went on an amazing culinary vacation to the Tuscan region of Italy. One of our favorite dishes, and there were many, was Fiori di Zucchini Farcito or Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms. Contact your local farmer to see if they will sell or perhaps give you their zucchini blossoms. Now is a great time to try this recipe because in Michigan, the zucchini harvest season is from June to October.  

The best way to harvest the blossoms is to use pruning shears or a sharp knife to cut the flowers from the squash. The ideal time to do this is around midday when the petals are fully open, leaving one inch of stem. Once you get home, gently rinse them in a container of cool water and store in ice water in the refrigerator until ready to use. The flowers can be stored for a few hours or up to 1 or 2 days. 

Ingredients

Fiori di Zucchini Farcito

10 - 12 zucchini blossoms

20 oz. low fat ricotta cheese, drain off excess water

2 eggs

5 T. grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

1 T. chopped parsley

1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Wash, clean, and remove the centers/stems of the blossoms. Mix all of the above and use a pastry bag or zip lock bag to fill the blossoms. Lightly coat the outside of the blossom with the filling to seal the blossom.

Tomato Sauce

1 – 64 oz. can of whole tomatoes 5 T. Extra Virgin olive oil

2  T. sugar ¼ cup heavy cream

16 oz. of chicken or vegetable stock Sea salt and pepper to taste

In a large (wide) pan break up the tomatoes with your hand and cook in olive oil for 1 - 1½ hours.  Add sugar half way through. Add a little stock and the cream to the sauce, then add the stuffed blossoms to the pan. Cook for 30 minutes on each side on simmer. To thin the sauce, add more stock as needed while cooking.

Serve immediately and enjoy. 

Nutritional Values
(per serving)

Calories 199

Total Fat 14.55 g

Cholesterol 66.26 mg

Sodium 199.64 mg

Potassium 179.34 mg

Carbohydrates 7

Sugars 2.7 g

Proteins 10 g