How To Cook Stuffed Pumpkin Flowers

Here is the recipe of cooking Stuffed Pumpkin Flowers for serves 4 to 6. Preparation 30 minutes, cooking 10 minutes. This recipe is perfect as an entre, particularly with Thai-Italian menu. Best cooked just before serving, you can prepare the lowers and make the filling two hours ahead.

200g Ricotta cheese
½ cup (40g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
1 ½ tablespoon finely chopped drained anchovies
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 ½ clove garlic, crushed freshly ground black pepper
20 pumpkin flowers
Olive or vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Lemon wedges and sea salt flakes, for serving, optional

Batter
150g plain flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ cup cold soda water
1½ tablespoon lemon juice

Combine the cheeses, chives, anchovies, breadcrumbs and garlic in a small bowl; season to taste with pepper. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with or without a large plain tube. Open the pumpkin flowers and remove the stamens from the center with a teaspoon; discard stamens.

Pipe cheese mixture into flowers, twist petal tops to enclose filling. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer, large wok or deep saucepan to 180°C.

Batter: Meanwhile, sift flour into a bowl, add remaining ingredients. Mix quickly with a fork; the batter will still be lumpy. Dip the pumpkin flowers into the batter; drain away excess. Deep-fry pumpkin flowers, in batches, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp.

Serve pumpkin flowers immediately with lemon and a little sea salt, if desired. You can keep them warm in a slow oven for a few minutes, if necessary.