St Angela’s Fried Zucchini flowers

by Grazia Barletta · Published August 16, 2024 · Updated August 16, 2024

Every month in her Cape Town kitchen, Grazia Barletta prepares a recipe inspired by the saints, and shares it with our readers in text and photos taken exclusively for The Southern Cross by the chef herself.

In South Africa, August is Women’s Month, so this month’s column is dedicated to a special woman who saw a need and took action. St Angela Merici was an Italian mystic, religious educator and the founder of the Ursulines, who also have a presence in the Catholic school system in our country.

She was born on March 21, 1474, in Desenzano, a small town on the shore of Lake Garda in Lombardy. When Angela was just ten years old, she and older sister Giana Maria were orphaned and went to live with their staunchly Catholic uncle in Salò, where they led a quiet and devout life.

Visions and Travels

After Giana Maria’s untimely death without receiving her last sacraments, Angela became deeply concerned for her sister’s eternal salvation. A vision assured Angela that her sister was in heaven. Around that time, Angela joined the Third Order of St Francis, committing herself as a consecrated virgin to the Church.

After her uncle’s death, 20-year-old Angela returned to Desenzano, where she had been left a property. Troubled by the lack of education and hope among young girls, Angela took action and opened a home for them, teaching the Catholic faith, prayer, and the sacramental life.

Following another vision, Angela set up an association of virgins dedicated to the religious training of young girls. This proved so successful that she was asked to establish another school in the neighbouring city of Brescia.

In 1524, Angela made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. On her way, while stopping on the Greek island of Crete, she went blind. Despite this, she continued her pilgrimage — and had her sight miraculously restored on her way back, again in Crete, during prayer before a crucifix.

On Angela’s visit to Rome in the Jubilee Year of 1525, Pope Clement VII invited her to remain in Rome, an offer which Angela humbly declined. But this invitation inspired Angela to formalise her group further.

Founding her Religious Order

On November 25, 1535, Angela founded the Company of St Ursula, with 12 other women in Brescia, with the aim of elevating family life through Christian education. The Ursulines, as they became known, lived in their own homes without formal habits or vows, following Angela’s Rule of Life which emphasised consecrated celibacy, poverty, and obedience. Although not recognised as a religious order during her lifetime, the Company of St Ursula became the Church’s first women’s teaching order outside the cloister.

The Ursulines became a recognised religious community under Pope Paul III, who reigned from 1534-49. Angela Merici died on January 27, 1540. She was beatified in 1768 and canonised in 1807. She is the patron saint of the sick, disabled, physically challenged, and those grieving the loss of parents. Her feast is on January 27, a special day for the Ursuline schools in South Africa, Brescia House in Johannesburg and St Ursula’s School in Krugersdorp.

To celebrate St Angela, I have chosen a dish close to my heart. A dear friend of my family, also named Angela, passed away a few months ago. She used to bring us zucchini flowers from her garden and my dear mother used to prepare them this way. They are available only around mid- to late-summer, so you can substitute them with an aubergine. It’s great served with a salad, vegetables or even as a starter.

Ingredients

8-10 zucchini flowers (washed and dried) or 1 aubergine • 200ml cake flour
2 large eggs • 20 ml grated Parmesan cheese • oil for frying. • salt and pepper to taste

Preparation: 35 min • Servings: 3

Preparation

Add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to the eggs and beat with a fork.
Dip the zucchini flowers or aubergine in the flour, then in the egg mix.
Add oil to a large frying pan. When the oil is hot, fry the flowers till golden brown.
Remove and place onto roller-towel to remove excess oil.
Serve and enjoy with a prayer to St Angela.

Grazia Barletta is an author, book designer, and food photographer & stylist. She can be contacted at
Follow her blog at www.momentswithgrazia.com and connect with Grazia on Facebook: momentswithgrazia; Instagram: momentswithgrazia
Published in the August issue of The Southern Cross magazine