Crispy Fried Zucchini Blossoms — Aegean-Style, Unfilled

Pinch off the pointed green sepals around each blossom and trim the stem, leaving 1 cm. Open the blossom and pull out the yellow center or pistil from its base; these parts can leave a bitter flavor when fried. Do not wash the blossoms. Wipe them from the inside out with a damp cloth; wet blossoms will not hold the batter and will soften in the oil.

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the sparkling mineral water straight from the refrigerator all at once and stir with a fork for about 10 seconds. A few small lumps of flour are intentional; overmixing develops the gluten and makes the crust rubbery instead of crisp. The batter should be thin and pour from a spoon in a continuous stream.

Heat the oil to a depth of about three finger-widths in a deep skillet. The oil is ready when a drop of batter rises to the surface without sinking to the bottom and sizzles. Hold the blossoms by their stems, dip them in the batter, let the excess drip off against the side of the bowl, and add them to the oil in batches of three or four. Turn them after one and a half minutes and remove them when both sides are pale golden; blossoms fried too dark become dry and brittle.

Lift the blossoms out with a slotted spoon and arrange them on a wire rack rather than paper towels; paper towels trap steam underneath and soften the crust. Sprinkle with a pinch of fine salt and serve within 5 minutes. Fried zucchini blossoms soften as they sit, so eat them fresh.