Chickpea & Almond Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms

I purchased these squash blossoms on a whim at the farmer’s market. I had never cooked with squash blossoms before, but when I saw that they had this seasonal treat available, I knew I had to get a bunch. Like many flowers, the moment the blossoms are picked is when they will begin to wilt. Out of the entire bag I purchased, only 1/2 of the blossoms were viable - the rest went straight into the compost. This summer treat is great as a main or side dish, when paired with a salad or other vegetables. I hope if you see squash blossoms at your market (or in your backyard) you feel inspired to give this recipe a try!

Ingredients (filling)

• 3 cups chickpeas (2 cans)

• 8 oz vegan cream cheese (I used Kite Hill’s plain almond milk cream cheese)

• 2 T nutritional yeast

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1/5 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 lemon

• 1 T water

Ingredients (batter):

• 1/2 cup chickpea flour

• 1/2 cup sparkling water

• 2 T nutritional yeast

Ingredients (other):

• avocado oil (for frying)

• Squash blossoms

Method:

Clean the squash blossoms to remove any possible dirt. Next remove the anther (tweezers work well for this) which is the stamen, or pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Also check for any insects that may have crawled inside.

Mix all of the filling ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until completely incorporated. The mixture should be firm and easy to scoop. Use the opening of the squash blossoms to insert about 1-2 T of the filling.

To make the batter, add the chickpea flour and yeast to a small mixing bowl. Whisk in the sparkling water and mix until it is frothy and incorporated.

Cover the bottom of a nonstick frying pan with avocado oil about 1/4 inch thick. Once heated, start dipping the filled squash blossoms into the batter so that it’s evenly coated. One by one, start adding the blossoms to the frying pan.

Let them fry for about 3 minutes until they get crispy on the bottom. Flip them over and cook until they get crispy on the other side. You may also want to turn them a couple more times so that they get crispy on all of the edges.