Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Stuffed Courgette Flowers
A simple, clever way to use the air fryer, these courgette flowers turn crisp and golden around a creamy ricotta and herb filling.
Ingredients
- 12 courgette flowers
- 200g ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 100g plain flour
- 2 large eggs
- 100g breadcrumbs
- Olive oil spray
Method
- Gently rinse the courgette flowers under cold water, then pat them dry with kitchen paper.
- Mix the ricotta cheese with the basil, parsley, chives, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
- Carefully open each flower and spoon in a teaspoon of the ricotta mixture, then twist the petals to seal.
- Set out three bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with breadcrumbs.
- Dip each stuffed flower into the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs to coat.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (356°F).
- Lightly spray the flowers with olive oil spray.
- Arrange the flowers in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and crisp, turning halfway through.
Why this works in an air fryer
Courgette flowers are thin and watery, so patting dry and flouring first gives egg something to grip and prevents the crumb sliding off. The air fryer’s fast convection dehydrates the breadcrumb coating quickly, while a light oil mist promotes browning without weighing down the delicate petals or overheating the ricotta filling.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket holding 6–8 flowers without touching; cook in batches if needed. In a single-drawer air fryer, place them in the hottest centre area and turn gently halfway. In a dual-zone model, split evenly between drawers and start checking 1–2 minutes early as smaller loads brown faster.
Common pitfalls
- Crumb coating falling off as you lift them? The flowers were still damp or overfilled; pat them drier, use only a teaspoon of filling, and press the breadcrumbs on lightly after the egg dip.
- Ricotta leaking through the petals? The filling is too loose or the flower is split; drain wet ricotta in a sieve for 20 minutes and twist the petals closed rather than forcing in extra filling.
- Pale, dry crumbs at minute 8? There is not enough surface fat; add a fine, even olive oil spray and cook another 1–2 minutes, rather than raising the temperature which can scorch the petals.
- Flowers turning limp underneath? They are touching or sitting in steam; leave gaps around each one and, if your basket has a solid tray insert, shake out condensation between batches.
Variations & substitutions
- Use panko instead of fine breadcrumbs for a rougher, crunchier shell; it may need an extra spray of oil because the larger flakes brown less evenly.
- Swap half the ricotta for soft goat’s cheese for a tangier filling; keep portions small as it melts more readily and can leak if overfilled.
- Add finely grated Parmesan to the breadcrumbs for deeper savoury browning; check early because the cheese can darken faster than plain crumbs.
- Use mint instead of parsley or chives for a fresher filling; it does not change the cooking time but pairs especially well with lemon zest.
Storage & reheating
Best eaten immediately, but leftovers keep chilled for up to 24 hours and can be reheated in the air fryer at 170°C for 3–4 minutes until the crumb re-crisps.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
