Mixed fried fish

If you want the best ever Frittura di Mare then look no further than our Zio Mario! The incredibly fresh fish and array of shellfish – caught that morning, presented on ice, makes a statement as you enter the kingdom of the fabulous food – also known as our zio Mario’s restaurant Ai due Ghiottoni. Whether you are a fish lover or not – this dish is a Puglian tradition. It simple, fresh and delicious!

 It can be prepared with many types of fish, but usually with squid and king prawns, to which you can add small fish such as sardines, mullets, or mixed paranza. Of course, the cod (baccala)is also excellent. When in season, Zio Mario also adds courgette flowers to the mix – it is wonderful!
This dish is best prepared and served at the time, hot and crispy with a slice of lemon.

A top tip: serve it as part of any celebration – the Christmas eve feast is perfect for this dish – for our family though – any day of the year is good for this dish!

Ingredients

1 kg mixed fish

(squid, wild king prawns, langoustines, cod, red mullet, whitebait, scallops - whatever you prefer)

200 gr flour

Terre di San Vito’s Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Lemon

Preparing the squid:

The best squid for frying are the small ones, because they remain softer and have an intense flavour but you can use any.

To clean it, you must first remove the head then the entrails will come out as they remain attached.

The head is prepared by cutting off the part under the tentacles, removing the beak and rinsing it under a trickle of water.

The body must be prepared by removing the internal bone, then emptying it and rinsing it well. Slice the squid into rings of about 2 cm.

If the squid are very small then do cook them whole – no need to slice them.

Set them aside to drain.

Any raw prawns are best and are good for frying – the large wild king prawns or langoustines will require a little longer cooking time but are worth it. 

For cleaning, cut off the prawn head and remove the dark gut placed on the back. If it does not come off well, help yourself with a toothpick.

Cut the long legs.

Rinse them and put them to drain.

Leave a selection in their shell – they are so tasty when fried.

Wash the fish under running water, remove the entrails and where possible any bones and rinse well.

Ensure all the fish and shell fish are well drained and dry.

If you do not like frying with whole fish, fillets can be obtained by removing the head and opening the fish along the belly to remove the bone – or ask your fishmonger to do this!

Put a large pan with the oil on to heat. If you have a cooking thermometer, the right temperature to start frying is around 180 ° C. Or use a deep fat fryer.

In the meantime, dip each type of fish into the flour, shake it slightly to remove the excess and place it carefully into the hot oil.

First fry the whole fish or cod, then the baby squid, finally the prawns/langoustine.

Remove the fish as soon as it is golden brown. Remember, the prawns do need to cook until golden – even the ones still in their shell.

Generally 2 minutes are enough for small to medium sized prawns, 3 minutes for the larger ones and langoustine.

Remove the fish as it is ready with a slotted spoon and dry on a sheet of kitchen paper.

Season with salt and serve immediately.

Put on a large platter in the centre of the table, add a pinch of salt and a couple of lemon wedges and serve with a fresh salad.

 

• It is essential to use a large frying pan and keep the heat on a constant highto prevent the temperature of the oil from lowering and the squid and fish in general from being soggy.
• If you can find them, add courgette flowers or slices of courgettes (dipped in the flour) to the hot oil for one of your 5-a-day!

Serve our Frittura di mare with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Mosi rose wine.