Italian Zucchini Flower Fritters

These Italian Zucchini Flower Fritters, or (frittelle di fiore di zucchine), as they’re known in Italian, are seriously delicious. Quick & easy to make, these gorgeous, golden, yellow flowers make for a delightful appetizer. They can also be a great side dish or an afternoon snack. As a matter of fact, I believe they’re sure to be a favourite!

DID YOU KNOW THAT THE GOLDEN, BLOSSOM FLOWER OF THE ZUCCHINI PLANT IS EDIBLE?

Picked from the tips of the zucchini plant, these delicate edible flowers are eaten in many cultures & something that has always been eaten in our home.  Once upon a time, the only way to get your hands on them was to befriend a garden enthusiast or farmer. That was not easy to find for city dwellers. But today, I’m delighted to see that this has changed & that they’re popping up more at local farmers markets everywhere.

YIPPEE…

The funny thing was that I grew up thinking these delicious fritters were a poor man’s food. And, they probably were! But, when I saw them on the pricey menu of a well-known Italian restaurant, I was thrilled! Not with the price of them of course, but rather the realisation that I’ve been eating top notch gourmet, trendy food for years without even knowing it.

My father & grandfather both grew up on the land. As a matter of fact, they were very keen garden enthusiasts. They were definitely proud of their little garden patch & the fruits of their labour. Especially my father, who was super proud of his tomato plant, which surprisingly never stopped growing, So much so, that it measured to 3.7 metres tall. He was far from getting into the Guinness World Records for tallest tomato vine.  Nevertheless, it was still impressive. In order to prove to his friends just how tall it did get, we ultimately needed a photo to prove it – click here! Whenever dad had an opportunity to retell the story of just how extra-ordinarily tall his tomato vines grew, he was only too happy to share the story.

FARMER = A PERSON OUTSTANDING IN THEIR FIELD

And so, every season, new vegetables were sown & grown in the teeny tiny backyard that we called our home.

As a matter of fact, as a family, we were lucky enough to eat good quality, wholesome, home grown & home cooked meals every night & when these zucchini flowers were plentiful, we ate them often. And honestly there were no complaints from us. They were particularly plentiful during the the early summer months when the plant ultimately thrived & took over our backyard. So long as my father & grandfather planted & grew fruits & vegetables, their family was fed well! 

So I’m thrilled to be sharing this recipe with you. I hope you try it!