Tempura Battered Zucchini Flowers with Lemon Ricotta Filling

The zucchini flowers are heavenly good, but not all vegetarian food is healthy and this is a typical example. For crispness they must be deep fried and tempura absorbs loads of cooking oil.  I always use olive oil to deep fry then I drain well on kitchen paper.

10 zucchini flowers
250g Ricotta Cheese
1 egg
1 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons chopped shelled broad beans
Pinch Salt

Tempura batter
1 cup Flour
1 tbsp corn Flour
1 egg white
1 Cup Ice Cold Water

In a processor add ricotta, egg and lemon rind then pulse till smooth paste forms.  Add shelled broad beans and give few pulses so that beans become roughly chopped. Season with salt and transfer mixture to piping bag fitted with plain 1 cm nozzle.

Prepare tempura batter by putting all ingredients in a jug, then using a hand blender blend to a smooth paste.  leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile fill zucchini flowers with ricotta mixture,  heat frying oil, then dip each flower in Tempura batter, and carefully lower into the oil.  Fry till lightly golden, then drain on kitchen paper. Serve with reduced balsamic vinegar.