It is a true sign of summer when zucchini flowers, fleurs des courgettes, appear in our supermarket in Nice. 

The following lacto- vegetarian recipe reflects the Italian influence in the Niçois cuisine. Serve this dish with a heap of cherry tomatoes and some good bread for a healthy and carefree lunch.

8 zucchini blossoms

150 g ricotta

4 tbsp. black olives, pitted and sliced

A handful of grated parmesan

Olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

12- 16 cherry tomatoes, chopped

1 spring onion, finely sliced

Basil leaves to decorate

Warm the oven to 200° C.

Mix the ricotta with parmesan, black pepper, 2 tbsp. olive oil, and half of the sliced olives.

Wash the zucchini blossoms and let dry on kitchen paper. Spread some olive oil in the bottom of a large oven- proof dish. Stuff the zucchini blossoms with about 1 tbsp. of the ricotta mixture per each blossom and fold the rest of the blossoms to make a small pocket. Place them on the oven-proof dish and sprinkle with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Cook in the oven for 7 minutes.

To make the cherry tomato salad, wash and dry the tomatoes, then chop them and let drain in colander for a while to remove the extra liquid. Mix the tomatoes with the sliced spring onion, the rest of the sliced olives, some black pepper and 1 tbsp. vinaigrette.

Divide the cherry tomato salad in the middle of the plates and place the zucchini blossoms around. Decorate with basil leaves.