Lemon Fresh Spaghetti with Garden Sauce & Pumpkin Flowers

Ingredients

7 cloves of garlic – chopped

2 vine ripe tomatoes – diced

1 zucchini – sliced

2 dozen pumpkin flowers

½ 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

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

1 lb. of your favorite pasta

Preparation

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.