Lemon Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms

We planted six seeds worth of squash blossoms and they recently started flowering. I thought I would sacrifice a few squash so that I could make some stuffed squash blossoms. Was it worthwhile? Yes. Especially because the day after I picked this batch, there were loads more blossoms growing on the vines.

Ingredients:
8 to 10 squash blossoms
¼ cup lemon ricotta
1 egg, separated
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup potato starch

If necessary, prep the blossoms by brushing off any dirt. I recommend using really young male blossoms, which are firmer and less delicate which means they will be less likely to fall apart. Female blossoms will require the removing of the pistil and stamen. You can tell the difference between male and female blossoms because the female blossom has a little bulb at the base and male blossoms grow on longer stems.

If you don't want to make your own ricotta, add about 1 tablespoon of lemon zest to store bought ricotta.

To start, make the filling. Combine the lemon ricotta, egg yolk, parmesan, salt, and pepper.

Don't discard the egg white. Put it in a shallow dish; it'll be used for breading.

Fill a piping bag with the ricotta filling.

Lightly beat the egg white until frothy.

Gently open up the blossoms and fill with the ricotta filling.

Dip the blossoms in the egg white and then dredge in potato starch.

Heat a pan with a bit of oil and lightly fry the blossoms until they're golden. It'll just take a couple of minutes on each side.

Serve immediately while the breading is still light and crisp. If you've never had blossoms, I recommend giving them a go. They are delicate with a slightly sweet flavor. The creamy and lemony ricotta filling complements the blossom and gives off real summery vibes.

We enjoyed our squash blossoms as an appetizer before some delicious homemade pizzas. We made these some crushed tomato, crushed pepper flake & garlic olive oil, fresh mozzarella (from the farmers market), lemon ricotta, crispy pancetta, and pesto made with the basil from our garden.

Here's the recipe page: