Pezzetti Fritti (Mixed Fried Vegetables)

With roots in Roman Jewish cooking, fritti took over the city’s eateries and is beloved by all. Open a bottle of sparkling wine, turn on your hood vent and/or open a window and have a fritti party! Squid, salt cod, even mozzarella sandwiches can all be fried in addition to veg.

Difficulty

Intermediate

Yield

Serves 6

Ingredients

Neutral oil for frying (i.e. grapeseed oil)2 cups all-purpose flour Pinch of kosher salt2 ^2/3 cups sparkling ice water (or sparkling wine)1 bunch sage leaves with long stems (any mixed vegetables or fruit works here!)

Equipment

Measuring spoonsMeasuring cupsMixing bowls of various sizesCutting boardChef's knifeCast iron skilletProbe thermometerTongsTasting spoonsDish towel

Gather your mise en place; get together all of the equipment needed for the recipe and gather your ingredients.

Prepare your vegetables to be ready to fry. In this case, remove leaves from the bunch of sage and leave the long stem intact as much as possible.

Make the batter: Fill a large bowl with ice water and rest a second medium bowl inside. Combine the flour, salt, and sparkling water in the medium bowl and whisk until smooth. To keep the batter as cool as possible between batches, replenish the ice as needed.

In a medium cast-iron skillet, heat 2 inches of neutral oil to 350’F.

Working one at a time, hold the sage leaf carefully by the end of the stem or with tongs, dip in the batter to coat thoroughly, allow excess to drip off and lower into the oil gently. Fry in batches until very lightly browned, 2 – 3 minutes, turning once to ensure even browning.

Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Serve fritti immediately on a large platter.