At this time of year the courgettes are flowering like crazy, and the flowers are delicious. They are also almost impossible to get from the shops. So if you want to impress your friends, you can smugly make and serve these gorgeous stuffed courgette flower treats.

Ingredients

  • 8 courgette flowers (you can also use squash or pumpkin flowers)
  • 50 g soft cheese (I used mozzarella, but you could try ricotta or goats cheese)
  • 10g parmesan
  • chopped herbs – I used parsley, dill and mint
  • 1 fresh red chilli, chopped (optional)
  • salt and pepper
  • 100 g plain flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 egg

Method

  • Prepare the courgette flowers by carefully opening them and snipping out the stamen with a pair of scissors. The stamen is edible but bitter so best to get rid of it.
  • Mix all the cheese with the chopped herbs, chilli, salt and pepper and a splash of oil. Taste and add herbs/flavour as necessary.
  • Stuff each flower with two teaspoonfuls of the mixture, closing the flower back up around it. If you can, twist the ends of the petals together to hold it in place.
  • Beat the egg in a bowl, and then mix the flour and baking soda into the egg to make a batter.
  • Heat an inch of vegetable oil in a frying pan, until a cube of bread fizzes when you drop it in.
  • Dip the courgette flowers into the batter and turn to coat them completely.
  • Pick them up with tongs and let them drip for a few seconds, before placing them gently into the oil.
  • If you have courgettes these can be battered and fried at the same time.
  • Fry for a few minutes until golden, turn them over and fry until the other side is golden.

Serve

  • Serve with a piece of lemon, some salad, and your favourite dipping sauce.