The Gluten-Free Focaccia with Fried Zucchini Flowers and with gluten-free sourdough comes from my experience at the Gluten-Free Cooking course (remember? The one where I also made the rice pastiera).
During the course, we prepared focaccia, and I tried to recreate it with a mix of gluten-free flours with turmeric and seeds to include it in my Floral Menu, enhancing it with double-fried zucchini flowers both in batter and with panko, all gluten-free, of course.
You can also find the preparation video.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven, Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 500 g gluten-free flour mix with seeds and turmeric
- 100 ml gluten-free sourdough (or 12 g fresh yeast)
- 400 ml water (450 ml if using fresh yeast)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (+ for greasing)
- 2 tsp fine salt
- to taste coarse salt
- 100 ml water
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 12 zucchini flowers
- 150 g gluten-free panko
- 4 eggs
- 250 g rice flour
- to taste salt and pepper
- to taste seed oil (for frying)
Tools
- 1 Cover Magic Cooker
- 1 Baking Pan rectangular
Steps
In the mixer, add all the ingredients in order: flour, water, sourdough, oil, and fine salt. Create a homogeneous dough.
If you use fresh yeast, dissolve it in water.
Grease a bowl and let it rise covered for 2 hours.
TIPS: Create a proofing chamber in the oven by turning on the light and placing a small pan of hot water to maintain a constant temperature of 86°F.
Grease the baking pan with oil, spread the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
Mix the ingredients, pour the brine, and press the surface of the focaccia to create the classic “dimples”. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake in a static oven at 356°F for 40 minutes.
Gently remove the inner pistil and carefully wash the flowers. Dry them by dabbing with a paper towel.
Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl.
Prepare three bowls: one with flour, one with the beaten egg, and one with panko.
Dip 4 flowers first in the flour, then in the egg, and finally in the panko, pressing lightly to make it adhere well.Fry in a pan with the Magic cooker lid after heating abundant oil to 356°F, turn off the heat, add the zucchini flowers, and cover. Cook covered for 6 minutes, turning after about 3 minutes.
Dip the remaining zucchini flowers in the flour mixed with egg (batter).
And fry as above.
Serve the focaccia in 4 pieces each with a panko-breaded zucchini flower and 2 battered zucchini flowers per piece.
Edible Flowers
🌷In the theme of Edible Flowers, I created the atmosphere thanks to jasmine incense, another edible flower.
🌷In the theme of Edible Flowers, I created the atmosphere thanks to jasmine incense, another edible flower.
Zucchini Flowers: edible inflorescences that can be used in various culinary preparations
Jasmine Flowers (Jasminum officinale): are considered edible and can be added to various recipes, such as infusions, teas, desserts, and even savory dishes.
I steam-fried the zucchini flowers with the Magic Cooker cover.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I fry without using the Magic Cooker lid?
Sure!
Heat the oil in a pan to about 338°F.
Fry a few flowers at a time, turning them gently, until golden and crispy (about 2-3 minutes per side).
Drain on paper towels.What is the recipe for gluten-free panko?
Panko is made with flakes of only white bread crumb, which are coarsely blended and toasted, so just use gluten-free bread:
preheat the oven to 248°F, grill mode.
Cut the crumb of the bread coarsely.
Put it in the blender and blend coarsely for a few seconds (it should not be reduced to crumbs, but into flakes).
Cover the baking pan’s surface with parchment paper.
Spread the flakes evenly on the baking pan.
Toast for about 5 minutes (the crumb should be golden, not burnt).
