Zucchini flowers are fleeting, edible delights that start to wither the moment they’re picked. You could even liken them to the mayfly, which only has one glorious day in the sun. Two if they’re really, really lucky.
But even when you buy zucchini flowers from the green grocer or farmers’ market, there’s a definite droop to them by the time you get home.
Maybe this is why we’re so inspired by them. We’re motivated to make use of this pretty edible blossom and its teeny tiny zucchini in creative ways; raw when the flowers are still fresh and open, to fried when they have very little life left in them.
I’ve been fortunate enough to cook with zucchini flowers, and they are one of the few ingredients left that are truly seasonal; I can’t get them grown from a hot house and I can’t get them imported in the depths of winter. I also can’t grow them on a balcony, so for me, they really are a treat to not only eat but to cook with.
Wonder if I can convince my sister to plant some zucchini just so I can get the blossoms…think she’ll go for it?
This Zucchini Flower, Mint and Pecorino Pasta is my last zucchini flower recipe for this year’s season, making use of the sad little discarded blossoms I found at the green grocer by adding thin rounds of zucchini and shallow-fried strips of petals to a mint and cheesy pasta dish.
If you still have an abundance of zucchini blossoms, try out this Zucchini Flower Quiche too, you won’t be sorry!
Zucchini Flower, Mint and Pecorino Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 female zucchini flowers, (with baby zucchinis attached)
- 80 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ Spanish onion, thinly sliced
- 2 lemons, finely grated rind and juice
- 400 g farfalle, or your favourite small pasta shape
- 1 cup loosely packed mint, coarsely torn
- 50 g pecorino, finely grated, plus extra to serve
Instructions
- Detach the zucchini flowers from the baby zucchini. Tear the flowers into quarters, discarding the stamen. Thinly slice baby zucchini into rounds, then set aside.12 female zucchini flowers
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add zucchini flowers and cook until crisp, 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper and set aside.80 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- Add the garlic and onion to the oil and sauté until tender, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, add the lemon rind and juice, and season to taste and set aside.2 garlic cloves, ½ Spanish onion, 2 lemons
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente following the packet’s instructions. Reserve 2 tablespoons pasta water and drain.400 g farfalle
- Return the pasta and reserved pasta water to pan, add the onion mixture, mint, pecorino and zucchini, season with salt to taste and toss to combine.1 cup loosely packed mint, 50 g pecorino
- Serve scattered with fried zucchini flowers and extra pecorino.
Nutrition
Recipe by Emma Knowles, Gourmet Traveller
