Ingredients for the stuffed courgette flowers

12 courgettes with their flowers

250 g ricotta

4 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano

2 lemons

4 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped

1½ cups flour

1½ cups sparkling water

1 sachet baking powder

sunflower oil

unrefined sea salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Cut the flowers from the courgettes, keeping a piece of the vegetable attached so it acts as a stem. Remove the stamens and pistils from inside the flowers. Rinse the flowers and gently pat them dry with kitchen paper. In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, the grated zest and juice of one lemon, and the chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Using a teaspoon, fill each flower with the ricotta mixture and make sure to close the petals firmly at the top around the filling to keep it in place. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder, then gradually add the sparkling water. Stir until you obtain a batter that is neither too thick nor too runny. Set aside.

Pour a generous amount of sunflower oil into a large frying pan and heat over a medium-high flame. Dip the courgette flowers into the batter, taking care not to let the filling spill out.

Fry the flowers for two minutes on each side until golden and crispy, being careful not to crowd the pan (they should not touch one another). Remove the fried flowers from the oil and leave to drain on kitchen paper. Season with salt.

To avoid burning yourself, wait a moment before tasting!