Costata Romanesco

The famous Italian/Roman ribbed zucchini. The distinctive, long fruit is ribbed; medium green-striped skin; rich and very flavorful. The cut slices are lightly scalloped. It is also popular to fry this squash whole, when it is small with the flower still attached. Costata Romanesco is also the quintessential, blossom zucchini thanks to larger, sturdier, tastier blooms that stay fastened to fruit better than other more flimsy varieties. It has been a top choice for blossom production in Italy for hundreds of years--as evidenced in a painting titled, “Fruitvendola” (fruit vendor) by Vincenzo Campi painted in Milan in 1580. In this painting, squash blossoms from costata romanesco zucchini are depicted atop a market table. This depiction is the first evidence of Italians using squash blossoms as food where it is called “Fiori di Zucca”. The squash blossom is a type of ephemeral, summer delicacy that is as fleeting as it is sumptuous. We love to take advantage of the brief, squash blossom season; harvesting these large blossoms for sautéing, stuffing and frying or to add a “pop” of color to salads.