Zucchini Flower Patties: the Italian recipe for fried zucchini flowers

The zucchini flower patties are a greedy and irresistible appetizer based on battered and fried zucchini flowers. It's a great classic of the Neapolitan tradition, a variant of savory zeppole.

The zucchini flowers are passed in a leavened batter and then dipped in boiling oil. The result is soft and tasty patties which everyone will love. In fact, the zucchini flowers are very versatile, whether fried or baked.

The dough is made with eggs, flour, water, cheese and brewer's yeast, thus guaranteeing a super soft result. For this reason, the zucchini flower patties require a rest of about two hours, which is the time necessary for the batter to double in volume, before being dipped in boiling oil. Unlike the classic fritters, moreover, in this recipe the zucchini flowers are not passed whole in the batter, but chopped.

How to store Zucchini Flower Patties

It is best to fry the zucchini flower patties and enjoy them hot at the moment.

How to make Zucchini Flower Patties

Step 1

Step 1

Clean the zucchini flowers by detaching the petals from the pistil. Then rinse and pat them.

Clean the zucchini flowers by detaching the petals from the pistil. Then rinse and pat them.

Step 2

Step 2

Trim them using kitchen scissors.

Trim them using kitchen scissors.

Step 3

Step 3

Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in a bowl with water.

Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in a bowl with water.

Step 4

Step 4

Add the flour, then the egg and the grated parmesan cheese, mixing with a fork. Add a pinch of salt.

Add the flour, then the egg and the grated parmesan cheese, mixing with a fork. Add a pinch of salt.

Step 5

Step 5

Now add the chopped zucchini flowers and mix everything with a spatula.

Now add the chopped zucchini flowers and mix everything with a spatula.

Step 6

Step 6

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and wait for it to double in volume. It will take between one and two hours.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and wait for it to double in volume. It will take between one and two hours.

Step 7

Step 7

Fill a deep pan ⅔ full with seed oil and heat it until you see bubbles rise to the surface by dipping a wooden toothpick.

Fill a deep pan ⅔ full with seed oil and heat it until you see bubbles rise to the surface by dipping a wooden toothpick.

Step 8

Step 8

Drop a spoonful of dough at a time into the oil thus forming the fritters. Turn them halfway through cooking to let them brown on both sides.

Drop a spoonful of dough at a time into the oil thus forming the fritters. Turn them halfway through cooking to let them brown on both sides.

Step 9

Step 9

Drain the zucchini flower patties on absorbent paper and serve them hot.

Drain the zucchini flower patties on absorbent paper and serve them hot.