If you had to encapsulate summer into a scent, what would it be? The sweet smell of coconut present in sunscreen or tropical drinks? The salty air of the sea? The perfume of flowers in full bloom? The smokiness of a campfire burning? For me, that defining scent would have to be piteyi i hiuri (zucchini blossom fritters).
The smell of these southern Italian delights being crisped up in a pan of hot oil is one of season’s quintessential profumi for me. They are rather simple fritters whose key ingredient can be found in the title, the delicate, edible zucchini blossom. They make their appearance in my father’s garden and in many farmers markets for a few short weeks in late June and early July, usually harvested in the early morning hours. While we use them in several summer dishes like soups, frittatas, and risottos, the first raccolta (harvest) is always used to make the batter for piteyi.
We always enjoy our frittelle piled high hot out of the fryer accompanied by briny green Calabrese olives, homemade salami, and goat’s milk cheese from Italy. If you have never had the opportunity to try these golden treats, I urge you to do so, however, be warned, they are addictive. Buon Appetito!
Zucchini Blossom Fritters
(Yields 40-45 Fritters)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tbls grated Parmigiano
- 20-25 zucchini blossoms (the more the better)
- 2 cups of water (room temperature)
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup cubed soppressata, pancetta or capicollo (optional, can be omitted if you want to make this a vegetarian dish, but I love them with chewy bits of my dad’s homemade soppressata)
- Salt
- Olive oil for frying
- Optional ingredients: chopped scallions, chopped basil, chopped mint and chopped zucchini
Method:
Prepare the zucchini blossoms by lightly brushing off any dirt and then slitting each flower and removing the pistil or stamen inside.
Once you have cleaned all your flowers tear or chop them into pieces.
In a mixing bowl combine the flour, cheese, chopped zucchini blossoms and stir to combine.
Next add your eggs and water and mix well. Then proceed to add in the soppressata and any of the other optional ingredients.
Once everything is combined you will end up with a pancake like batter.
Heat the olive oil in a pan on a high flame testing it with a small drop of batter. When the oil bubbles with the batter you are ready to spoon out the fritters.
Measure out the batter using a tablespoon and drop your fritters into the hot oil. They will take a few minutes on each side to puff up and turn golden and crisp.
Once you have browned them on both sides, place them onto a dish lined with paper towel, sprinkle with salt and enjoy immediately.
