Recipes From Our Kitchen

Fiori Di Zucchine Ripieni Su Carpaccio di Pomodori di Sorrento ~ Stuffed Zucchini Flowers on a Carpaccio of Sorrento Tomatoes

Makes about 10 stuffed flowers

Preparation

Clean the zucchini flowers in cold water. Pull off all stems around the outside of the flower and remove inside stem gently.

Next, prepare the filling. Mix the Ricotta, Provola, shredded basil, grated lemon zest, oregano, olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Fill each zucchini flower with the cheese filling and gently twist the ends of the flower to close. Make a batter by mixing the flour, lemon juice, baking powder and enough sparkling water to form a loose batter. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan until very hot. Dip each flower in the batter, let it drip off and repeat once more to coat. Immerse each flower gently into the hot oil. Fry the flowers until golden, turning as needed to cook evenly.

Remove from oil, transfer to paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Slice the tomatoes thinly, arrange on a serving dish and arrange the stuffed zucchini flowers on top. Season with a sprinkle of salt and serve immediately.

Tagliolini al limone ~ Tagliolini Pasta with Lemon Sauce

Serves 2

Preparation

Boil water for pasta and add a generous pinch of salt.

Splash olive oil into skillet, about 2 seconds per person, and heat oil over high heat. Meanwhile, slice lemon peal into long, wide strips. Add a scoop of the salted pasta water to the skillet and drop in the lemon peal. Cook together, stirring gently for just a few minutes, until the oil becomes yellow and the lemon smells strongly. When yellow, take out the lemon peal and throw away.
Add 2 tablespoons of cream, a pinch of salt, the lemon zest and a pinch of parsley. Remove from heat.
Add tagliolini (about 100g per person) to boiling water and boil rapidly until al dente. Drain water and add tagliolini to sauce, toss together for about 2 minutes, then serve.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to taste and a pinch of parsley for color. Garnish with curls of lemon zest.

Variation:

Serve in Parmesan crusts.

To make Coppette di Parmesan, the Parmesan crusts, line a small skillet with a thin layer of Parmesan cheese and heat over medium to high heat until Parmesan melts and starts to brown. Flip the melted Parmesan over a large container and use your hands to shape it into a bowl shape. Allow to cool and serve pasta inside.

Torta Lavenda ~ Lavender Cake

Serves 8

• 190 g butter
• 190 g granulated sugar
• 160 g plain flour
• 70 g ricotta cheese
• 50 g almond flour
• 25 g egg white
• 7 g baking powder
• 3 eggs – 2 lemons
• Confectioner’s sugar for icing, mixed with a little milk
• Lavender branches, organic

Preparation

Cut the butter into small pieces, put it in a large bowl and let it melt naturally. Mix half of the granulated sugar with a spoon of lavander flowers. Zest the lemons and add to the butter. Next, add the sugar with the lavander along with a bit of salt. Whisk the ingredients. Add one egg at a time, then the almond flour, the sifted plain flour, the baking powder, 30 g of lemon juice and ricotta cheese. Butter then flour a 20 cm baking pan, then pour the cake batter inside the pan. Bake at 175° for about 40 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool. Mix the sugar with the egg white and a teaspoon of lemon juice, then glaze the cake. Plate with a bouquet of lavender flowers topped in the center of the cake.