Pasta with zucchini flowers (courgette flowers), saffron and ham.
Pasta with zucchini flowers, saffron and ham is a beautiful delicate and creamy summer dish that you are certain to fall in love with and want to make time and again (at least while zucchini/courgette flowers are in season!)
(click to go straight to recipe)
Garganelli ‘paglio e fieno’ con fiori di zucca, zucchini, zafferano e prosciutto cotto.
There are many foods I had never eaten before moving to Italy. Foods that today I love but were really alien to me when I was younger. For example, zucchini flowers! Italians love zucchini flowers (fiori di zucca). They’ve been eating these flowers since well before edible flowers became a thing!
Eating zucchini flowers in Italy.
The most popular way to prepare zucchini flowers here is to fill them, coat them in batter and fry or bake them…totally divine! Although in Southern Italy they also just batter and fry them without filling. One of the most well-known filled and fried zucchini flower recipes is ‘fior di zucca alla Romana’.
This is practically a signature dish in Rome, eaten as street food, as a starter or with an aperitif. Fiori di zucca fritti in Rome is made by filling the flowers with a local cheese similar to mozzarella called provatura and anchovies, dipping them in a batter of just cold water and flour and frying the flowers in hot oil!
Italians also eat zucchini flowers in other dishes. These include frittata, risotto and, of course, pasta! Pasta with zucchini flowers usually includes the zucchini themselves, cut into small rings, cubes or slices. Saffron is another popular ingredient in zucchini flower pasta recipes. And for a touch of meat, Italians will add pancetta, speck, ham or sausage.
Pasta with zucchini flowers.
Pasta with zucchini flowers and saffron doesn’t seem to be associated with one particular area or city. Although the use of saffron is more common in the regions where it is grown, in particular Sardinia, Marche, Tuscany, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Abruzzo, which is the region in which saffron was first cultivated in Italy back in the 14th century.
The zucchini flowers.
When I go shopping for zucchini flowers, I can find two types, male and female!! Yes, zucchini have both and pollination is carried out by bees or by hand. The flower from which the zucchini actually grows is the female! The male on the other hand grows on a stalk. For this pasta with zucchini flowers recipe, I used female flowers with very young zucchini attached. I love them so tiny and crispy. They don’t get as soft as bigger zucchini when you cook them! However, you can also use male flowers and buy the zucchini separately. In fact, traditionally, although there’s no difference in taste, male zucchini flowers are used more in cooking. This is because if the female flowers are removed, the zucchini won’t grow!
The pasta.
This recipe for pasta with zucchini flowers can be made with different types of pasta, although short pasta is more typical. I chose to use garganelli, a beautiful short egg pasta from Emilia-Romagna. The garganelli pasta I used was green and yellow. Italians call this ‘paglia e fieno’, meaning straw and hay. This use of two different coloured pastas in one dish is very typical in Emilia-Romagna and tagliatelle served this way is very traditional. The green colour is usually created by adding spinach to the pasta dough.
The ‘paglio e fieno’ garganelli really went well in this pasta with zucchini flowers recipe. Not only because the green pasta has a slightly spinach taste but also the colours combined beautifully with the zucchini, zucchini flowers and saffron.
Other ingredients.
My hubby wanted to have some meat in this dish so I chose a recipe that included cubes of cooked ham. For a vegetarian version you can leave out the ham. You can also replace the ham with pancetta, sausage or speck. However, I liked the flavour the ham added. It’s not as strong as pancetta or speck.
This recipe can also be made without cheese or with ricotta instead of heavy cream. Whichever way you make this pasta with zucchini flowers I’m sure you’ll love not only the combination of flavours but how appetizing and colourful the dish looks.
If you make this recipe I’d love to hear how it turns out and if you liked it. Please leave a comment here on the blog or on The Pasta Project Facebook page. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Buon appetito!
(See the recipe on the next page. Just scroll down and click 2)
Sophia Inza says
This is beautiful and looks delish!
Jacqui says
Thanks so much Sophia, I’m happy you like it!
Amanda says
I’ve just been hearing about zucchini flowers and I need to try to find them!
Jacqui says
Zucchini flowers are Ahmazing Amanda! I hope you succeed in finding some!
Beth says
I was drooling just reading the title! The flavors in this lovely pasta dish are exquisite! I have to come up with some zucchini flowers! Saffron is so gorgeous with this! Yum!!
Jacqui says
Thank you dearest Beth! Yes, this recipe has some wonderful flavours. I love it! Hope you find some zucchini flowers and get to try it!
Katie Crenshaw | A Fork's Tale says
I never knew that you could eat zucchini flowers. They sound delicious! I can’t wait to try them. This recipe looks fantastic.
Jacqui says
Grazie Katie! Zucchini flowers are a big thing here in Italy! Very popular. Hope you’ll get to try them!
Linda | Simply Healthyish says
Wow! This pasta sounds so elegant and love the combination you have in this bowl. And that color looks stunning too.
Jacqui says
Thanks so much Linda! Yes, this is a really beautiful pasta recipe that tastes divine too!
[email protected] says
What bra flavors!
Jacqui says
Grazie Patrick!
Heidy L. McCallum says
This is an awesome recipe, I love how you explain everything. Very intriguing post and I love this recipe. What part of Italy are you residing in if you don’t mind me asking? My family is from Bellosguardo. It’s a very small town.
Jacqui says
Thanks so much Heidy! I live just outside Verona in the hills behind Soave. A very beautiful part of Northern Italy. I had to look up Bellosguardo, as I didn’t know it. In Campania, right? Wonderful scenery there! In fact, that’s what Bellosguardo means, beautiful views!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
This looks so summery! I’ve never tried zucchini flowers, but would love to! This and some bread and vino and I’m set for a delicious Sunday supper 🙂
Jacqui says
Grazie Dawn! Yes, this is a lovely summer dish! Zucchini flowers are delish. Hope you get to try them one day!
camila says
Looks amazing! Zucchini flowers are some of my favorite things about summer!! Delicious summer pasta
Jacqui says
Thanks so much dear Camila! Zucchini flowers are among my favourite summer eats too!!
Ramona says
I love soo much the sound of this recipe – not easy to get the courgette flowers over here but I love and use regularly the baby courgettes – they sooooo goood!! Yumm, yumm. Recipe saved!
Jacqui says
Grazie cara Ramona! Zucchini flowers can be a bit of an expensive delicacy in some places and difficult to find, unless you grow your own zucchini!! But, I agree baby courgettes are soo good!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
This is so lovely!! What a great use for zucchini flowers and the saffron is such a lovely unexpected addition. Can’t wait to try.
Neli Howard says
Oh my! That looks so tender. This is really very tasty! Perfectly! Thanks for the recipe! I want to try it!
Emma says
What a wonderful dish. We grow our own zucchini but for some reason this year weve had no male flowers and so no pollination! We have to eat our zucchini while they are still small and before they abort. This looks like the perfect way to eat them.
Stephanie Simmons says
This looks like such a fun healthy summer meal! I love zucchini flowers – need to try to get my hands on some before the season is over!
Alexis says
I love pasta and veggies, this dish is absolutely gorgeous!
Arjhon says
The addition of courgette flowers in cooking is a new thing to me. This is so interesting, thanks for this idea. Definitely trying this recipe.
Michelle says
This looks really tasty, who doesn’t love a good courgette in pasta, I like the flavor profile you put together!
Sondria says
I’ve never had zucchini flowers. I’m going to have to grow them next year just so I can try this recipe, I’ve always wanted to try them.
Gloria says
I have yet to try zucchini flowers. Such a gourmet item…and it looks amazing. I am on the hunt for these. Maybe I will be lucky to find some at the Farmer’s Market on the weekend. This would be a great dish to serve to guests.
Kelly Anthony says
I’ve never cooked with zucchini flowers and I can’t wait to try this recipe out.
Stine Mari says
One thing I actually liked when I was in Albania this Summer, was in fact filled zucchini flowers battered and then fried. So, so tasty! I’ve been wanting to make them at home, but I can’t seem to find zucchini flowers here. But if I do, I will definitely try to make your recipe too, I think it looks divine, and I love the addition of saffron!
Helena says
Zucchini flowers are my favourite! I love to use them as much as possible and whenever they are in season. They are incredible!