Celebrating Spring- Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms with Foraged Borage

Spring gifts from my garden. Wild borage.

The leaves are prickly, handle with care! I often cut into thin slices and add to my salads, they have a bright cucumber flavor. Another traditional use is to cook the leaves like spinach.

I was craving naked ravioli, called Gnudi. It is especially good with the spring ricotta from the local sheep and young tender spinach, I thought to substitute the cooked borage for the spinach.

Today in the market I found some zucchini blossoms ready to fry, usually I simply fill with ricotta cheese, but was inspired by  the gnudi recipe to create a filling with cooked borage, grated parmesan cheese and nutmeg.

First thing was to gather some of the borage, carefully.

Then lightly cook.

I rinsed the leaves, and let steam in a tiny bit of water.

I drained and minced the borage and then mixed with the sheep’s milk ricotta,added ground nutmeg and  grated parmesan cheese.

I rinsed the zucchini blossoms, removed the stamens and the sepals and then using a pastry bag, filled them.

Tuscans ADORE everything fried, and zucchini blossoms are no exception. But going lighter, today am baking them in a light tomato sauce and parmesan cheese.

If you are lucky enough to find borage or young nettle leaves, try this. If not, spinach is traditional with ricotta for the gnudi, ravioli filling and also for filling crepes ( crespelle).

I am leaving to head back to California to attend the IACP conference in San Francisco, so will be back soon and inspired!

I will post my calendar when I get back with my new programs,celebrating my 25 years of teaching!