Lemon Fresh Spaghetti with Garden Sauce & Pumpkin Flowers

By ladygourmet

Ingredients

• 7 cloves of garlic – chopped
• 2 vine ripe tomatoes – diced
• 1 zucchini – sliced
• 2 dozen pumpkin flowers
• 1/2 lemon – sliced with skin
• Fresh basil leaves
• Canola oil – for frying
• Olive oil
• Fresh Romano cheese – sliced
• 1 egg plus a splash of water
• 1 - 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 lb. of your favorite pasta

Preparation

Step 1

For the Zucchini

Heat a large cast iron frying pan with a ¼ inch of canola oil; add the zucchini slices and fry until golden. Do not over crowd the pan. Place the slices on a plate prepared with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

For the Pumpkin Flowers

Rinse the flowers with cold water in a colander. Gently pat the flowers dry.
Place the flour in a shallow bowl; in another shallow bowl beat the egg with a splash of water. Dip the flowers first in the flour; then the egg-wash and again in the flour.
Heat the frying pan with a ¼ inch of canola oil and place the prepared flowers in the heated oil. Do not over crowd the pan. Fry until slightly golden; then place the flowers on a plate prepared with a paper towel.
Wipe any crumbs from the frying pan. Heat a frying pan with two or three tablespoons of olive oil.
Add the tomatoes, garlic and lemon slices. Sauté the tomatoes on a medium heat until the tomatoes are soft and a sauce like consistency; add the seasonings to taste and the fresh basil.
Prepare the pasta as the sauce cooks.
Place the pasta in the sauce and toss.
Plate the pasta; garnish with the fried zucchini and the fried flowers. Finish the dish with dashes of red pepper flakes; a drizzle of olive oil and fresh Romano cheese shavings.