Fried cheese stuffed zucchini flowers taste fantastic but why not try a healthier option of baking them over a bed of roma tomatoes and sweet red onions. With the flavours of the oregano and basil, this Mediterranean inspired dish will not disappoint.

INGREDIENTS:

• Zucchini flowers

• ½ cup ricotta

• ½ grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving

• 1 tbsp basil finally chopped

• 6-8 small to medium roma tomatoes

• 2 medium red onions

• 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves

• Olive oil for cooking

• Sea salt

METHOD:

1. Slice the tomatoes in half or quarters for large ones. Add them to a large baking tray along with the red onion roughly sliced into wedges. Drizzle over with olive oil, add the oregano and a good sprinkle of sea salt, and toss through. Bake at 180° for 30 – 35 minutes until the red onions soften.

2. While the vegetables are baking the zucchini can be stuffed. Combine the ricotta, Parmesan cheese and basil together. 

3. Very gently open the flowers slightly with out ripping them, using your finger gently knock off the center yellow stamens.

4. Fill each flower with 1 tsp of the cheese mixture and gently twist the top of the flower petals to close. Repeat the process for the remainder of the flowers.

5. Once the baked tomatoes and red onions are cooked, remove them from the oven. Lay the stuffed zucchini flowers over the top of the baked vegetables and bake for a further 10-15 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt and the flowers develop a nice golden marks but not burnt. Remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle over the top with extra grated Parmesan cheese.

6. Serve on their own or over the top of simple fettuccini pasta!

Serves: 2-4

Prep/Cook: 45 mins

Recipe, photography & styling by Bonnie Coumbe. Visit her site here & Instagram here.