Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Scoop out the seeds of each zucchini half with a spoon. Season the hollowed-out halves with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper.
• Mix together the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper in a bowl. Divide cheese mixture between four zucchini halves. Arrange stuffed zucchini on greased baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until zucchini is tender and filling is beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Steps:

• These stuffed zucchini flowers look and taste amazing! Make sure they're eaten straightaway, while they're still crisp and hot. If you can't get hold of any flowers you can still make the recipe using just the zucchini - it will be like an Italian tempura.
• Beat the ricotta in a bowl with the nutmeg, the Parmesan, lemon zest and most of the chopped mint and chiles. Season carefully, with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To make a lovely light batter, put the flour into a mixing bowl with a good pinch of salt. Pour in the white wine and whisk until thick and smooth. At this point the consistency of the batter should be like heavy cream or, if you dip your finger in, it should stick to your finger and nicely coat it. If it's too thin, add a bit more flour; if it's too thick, add a little more wine.
• Open the zucchini flowers up gently, keeping them attached to the zucchini, and snip off the pointed stamen inside because these taste bitter. Give the flowers a gentle rinse if you like.
• With a teaspoon, carefully fill each flower with the ricotta mixture. Or, as I prefer to do, spoon the ricotta into the corner of a sandwich bag. Snip 1/2-inch off the corner and use this as a makeshift piping bag to gently squeeze the filling into each flower, until just full. Carefully press the flowers back together around the mixture to seal it in. Then put the flowers aside. (Any leftover ricotta can be smeared on hot crostini as a snack!)
• Now for the deep-frying bit. Get everyone out of the way if you can and make sure there are no kids around. Have tongs or a spider ready for lifting the flowers out of the oil, and a plate with a double layer of paper towels on it for draining. Pour the oil into a deep fat fryer or large deep saucepan so it's about 4 inches deep. Heat it up to 350 degrees F or, if using a saucepan, put in your piece of potato. As soon as the potato turns golden, floats to the surface and starts to sizzle, the oil is just about the right temperature. Remove the potato from the pan.
• One by one, dip the zucchini with their ricotta-stuffed flowers into the batter, making sure they're completely covered, and gently let any excess drip off. Carefully release them, away from you, into the hot oil. Quickly batter another 1 or 2 flowers and any small zucchini (or parsley) leaves if you have any - but don't crowd the pan too much otherwise they'll stick together. Fry until golden and crisp all over, then lift them out of the oil and drain on the paper towels. Remove to a plate or board and sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and the remaining chile and mint. Serve with half a lemon to squeeze over. Bloody delicious. Eat them quick!
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Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Using a melon baller, carefully scoop out a little spot in the center of each zucchini round for the filling to sit, making sure to leave about a 1/2-inch "floor" at the bottom. Put the scooped zucchini centers on a cutting board, season with salt and pepper and chop.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and chopped zucchini centers and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release their liquid and the zucchini start to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain off any excess liquid. Stir in the ricotta and season with salt and pepper.
• Stuff the zucchini cups with the filling and bake on a rimmed baking sheet until the zucchini is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Using a small spoon, scoop out and discard pulp from each zucchini half, leaving a 1/4" rim around the edges.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 10" skillet over medium heat.
• Add garlic and onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 6 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 minutes more.
• Remove from the heat and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the pecorino, 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs, the parsley, mint, oregano, and egg yolks.
• Fold in the onion mixture and season with salt and pepper;& a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes; set the filling aside.
• Arrange an oven rack about 7" from the broiler element and heat.
• Rub the insides of the zucchini with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season lightly with salt.
• Place zucchini cut side up on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 5 minutes.
• Remove baking sheet from oven and fill each zucchini half with enough of the ricotta mixture that it mounds slightly but doesn't spill over the edges of the zucchini.
• Sprinkle each stuffed zucchini with the remaining pecorino and bread crumbs and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
• Broil until the zucchini are soft and the tops are lightly browned, 10-15 minutes.
• Serve with other (vegetarian) dishes & some nice Italian wine and enjoy!

Steps:

• For the panzanella: Combine the vinegar, 1 cup water, the salt, sugar and garlic in a large jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid and shake, shake, shake to combine. Add the onions and cucumbers, shake again, and let sit for at least 1 hour. (You're making pickles here, and this step can totally be done ahead of time-like yesterday!)
• Put the bread in a large bowl with 1/2 to 1 cup water to soften. Squeeze and knead the bread with your hands, and then let it sit for 30 minutes.
• Squeeze out any excess water from the bread again, put the bread back in the bowl, and crumble it through your fingers. Toss in the tomatoes, add the pickled onions and cucumbers (strain these out and reserve the liquid), and stir to combine. Add the basil and some finishing oil; taste it to make sure it's delicious. Sprinkle in a few drops of the pickling liquid or a bit more oil if needed. Reserve.
• For the blossoms: Wiggle your finger into the blossom down to the base, where the flower meets the stem, and carefully break off and remove the stamen (be gentle, you don't want to rip through the blossom while doing this). Repeat with all the blossoms.
• In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmigiano and parsley and season with salt. Taste and re-season if needed. Put the ricotta mix into a pastry bag, carefully insert the tip of the bag into the flower and fill. Then gently close your hand around the flower to secure it. Place the stuffed blossom on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining flowers.
• Pour peanut oil into a large saucepan over medium-high heat; the oil should come 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the sides of the pan. While the oil heats, set up your drying situation next to the stove by putting a couple layers of paper towels on a baking sheet. To see if the oil is hot enough, drop a bit of flour into it. If it sizzles, you're good to go. If the oil begins to smoke, it's too hot, so reduce the heat.
• Combine the flour and wine in a large bowl to make a very loose batter. Start with 3/4 cup of the wine and add more if needed.
• Working in batches, dip each blossom in the batter to coat it, and then gently put each blossom in the oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Let the blossoms cook until they turn color but stay nice and crispy on the outside, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the blossoms from the oil with a slotted spoon or fish spatula, put them on the paper towels and immediately sprinkle with salt.
• Divide the reserved panzanella among serving plates and top each with 2 crispy blossoms.