Stuffed Squash and Zucchini Flowers

A great pass around hors d oeuvre or just a nice side dish. You may have to start a garden for this one. This isn't a quick one either it takes a little time and patience. The plants don't flower overnight.LOL

12 to 18 flowers : When picking the flowers from your garden make sure to clip about an inch and a half below the flower so you have a stem
8 0z container of Whole Milk Riccotta Cheese
Tblsp. Cracked Black Pepper
2 large eggs
2 tblsp of shredded Pecorino Romano Cheese. Not the fine ground.
1 Can Fresh Jumbo lump Crabmeat
Batter mix of some kind wheter it be a Beer Batter or Fish Batter. Do not use a coating style. Use a Batter style
1 can of Vegetable Shortening. The solid kind . You know it looks white and has a texture of say a jar of Vaseline.lol

Mix all ingredients except for the flowers and the batter in a mixing bowl. Do this by hand with a nice wooden spoon.

Fill the flowers carefully with the Ricotta mixture making sure that it cant leak out of the flower . Tighten up the tips so that the flower looks like an un opened Bud. Don't make the flowers too thin either. They can be nice and plump.

In a deep pan add the vegetable shortening and turn stove on so it melts and becomes very hot . Make sure you have a good amount of oil because your going to be deep frying those flowers.

Make your batter. Holding the Flower from the stem carefully dip the whole flower into the Batter covering the whole flower . Then Carefully place the battered Flower into the Hot oil. Carefully! Don't burn yourself . Cook until that batter becomes crispy and golden brown.

Remove the flower from oil and place on a folded paper bag . That helps remove the dripping oil on the Batter and keeps it crispy.

A nice glass of Pinot Grigio or even a Portuguese Vinho Verde compliments these tasty crispy buds.