You love your #GFF (Gluten-Free Friend) and sometimes a simple gesture to accommodate your friend can result in a new, elevated recipe. In this case, tempura batter made with gluten-free flour mix and cornstarch, makes this late-summer, flash-fried zucchini blossom recipe even more crunchy and flavorful.
Yields 24 blossoms
24 zucchini blossoms cleaned, stamen and tiny outer leaves removed
1 lb ricotta
1/4 cup pesto
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
Zest of a lemon
1 cup gluten-free flour mix (substitute with AP flour)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 cups cold sparkling water, or enough to make batter just thick enough to coat the fritter
neutral oil for frying, such as vegetable or canola
parsley, chopped, to garnish
Combine ricotta, pesto, Parmesan and zest, season with salt and pepper. Fill a piping bag or large zip-top bag with ricotta mixture. Snip corner and fill blossoms with mixture. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat an inch of vegetable oil to 350F. In a large bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour in club soda and mix until batter is smooth, about the consistency of heavy cream. Holding the stem-end, dip the blossoms and let excess batter drip away, then immediately drop into hot oil. Working in batches, fry blossoms until lightly golden on all sides, about 2 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Season immediately with a sprinkle of salt. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!