frittelle di cavolfiori e baccalà
I still have a lot to learn about frying, my mother-in-law is the expert and my husband knows a thing or two. We made fritters for Christmas Eve, with baccalà and cauliflower. The cauliflower fritters turned out beautifully, but the baccalà was tough and didn’t even taste that good. My mother-in-law gave me the recipe over the phone, but I must have missed something in her vague details. Baccalà is an intimidating fish, it needs to soak for ages and then boiled before you use it. I have actually never really tried to make it, but remembered my mother-in-law’s fritters from Christmas last year which were fluffy clouds of yum that my daughter and I shamelessly scarfed down by the handful.
Considering the fact that the simple recipe that my mother-in-law gave was not a success in my eyes, I’ve translated a recipe from my trusty Slow Food cookbook.
Frittelle di Baccalà
translated from Le Ricette di Osterie d’Italia: Antipasti, primi, secondi, conserve e dolci scelti da Slow Food per cucinare la tradizione regionale from Slow Food Editore
- 600 grams (1lb, 5oz) salt cod, pre-soaked skin, and bones removed
- 1 whole egg plus 1 yolk
- 200 grams (7oz) flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- milk
- 400 grams (14oz) extra-virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
Prepare a batter with the flour, 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, the egg and the separate yolk, baking soda, salt and a splash of milk.
Heat the remaining oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Make sure a touch of batter or a flick of water sizzles when it touches the oil before frying anything.
Cut the baccalà into small pieces, immerse it into the batter and fry it in hot oil until it is golden brown.
Drain the fritters, dry them on paper towels and serve them hot or cold, with lemon slices.
*The cauliflower fritters were simple, mix flour and water and a little salt until a liquid batter is form, coat the cauliflower pieces in the batter and fry.
One Year Ago: Baccala’ alla Vicentina con Polenta
Two Years Ago: dalla nostra terra & a walk in the country
Three Years Ago: Potato-Mushroom Cake with Braised Lentils & Meatloaf
Five Years Ago: pesce all’acqua pazza
Italicious 