Best Fritto Misto Recipes

FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• In large shallow skillet over moderately high heat, heat 3 inches of oil until thermometer registers 350°F.
• Transfer flour to large plate. Sprinkle all seafood liberally with salt and pepper. Working in batches and returning oil to 350°F between batches, dredge seafood in flour, shaking to remove excess, and fry until golden and cooked through, about 20 seconds per side for whole fish and shrimp, 15 seconds per side for scallops and calamari. Using slotted spoon, remove as done and drain on paper towel-lined plate.
• Garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately with tartar sauce.

FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• For the sauce: Combine the basil, pistachios, olive oil, lemon zest and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until roughly pureed. Remove the contents to a small bowl and stir in the mayonnaise and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Season with the salt.
• For the seafood: Fill a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven with 3 inches of oil and heat to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk together the rice flour, cornstarch, polenta, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Working in batches, dredge the shrimp and calamari in the flour mixture and add to the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan and drop the temperature. Fry until light golden brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spider to remove the seafood to a paper towel-lined tray and season with a pinch of salt. Continue with the remaining shrimp and calamari. Serve hot alongside the pesto dipping sauce and lots of lemon wedges.

FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• Fit a medium heavy pot with a deep-fry thermometer; pour in vegetable oil to measure 4" (about 8 cups). Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°F.
• Meanwhile, whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl. Whisk in 2 cups chilled club soda just to blend (a few lumps are okay; just don't overmix). Dip one-fourth of mixed vegetables, seafood, and herbs (see "Fritto Misto Favorites," below) into batter, letting excess drip back into bowl. Fry, turning occasionally to cook evenly and gently, separating as needed, until golden and crisp, 1-3 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined wire rack; season with salt. Repeat 3 more times with remaining ingredients, returning oil to 350°F between batches. Serve with lemon wedges.

FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• Pour the oil into a heavy, deep-sided skillet or deep fryer; place over medium-high heat until it registers 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Pour buttermilk into a medium bowl.
• To prepare artichokes, snap off tough outer leaves. Slice off the upper two-thirds of each bulb, and discard. Use a vegetable peeler to remove green outer layer from around heart. Dip in buttermilk, and scoop out choke with a spoon. Thinly slice crosswise. Place in the buttermilk.
• Add the fennel and lemons, and stir to coat evenly. Place flour in a separate dish. Season generously with salt and pepper; whisk to combine.
• Remove vegetables and lemon slices, one piece at a time, from buttermilk, shaking off excess. Dredge in flour, and carefully transfer to the hot oil, 6 to 7 pieces at a time. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Dip parsley in buttermilk, and then in flour to coat. Carefully transfer to the hot oil, and fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds. As each batch is finished, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately.

"FRITTO MISTO" MIXED FRIED SEAFOOD WITH TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• For the tartar sauce: Whisk together the mayonnaise, dill pickle and brine, Worcestershire, mustard, capers and brine, hot sauce, garlic, tarragon, basil stems and lime zest and juice in a medium bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside some in a ramekin.
• For the batter: Whisk together the flour, beer, sparkling water, vodka, paprika and baking soda in a medium bowl.
• For the frying: Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a thermometer until it reaches 350 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with a cooling rack and set aside.
• Place each whole squid on a flat surface and run your knife gently down the length of the outside. Peel off the outer layer of skin and remove the piece of cartilage and anything inside the tube of the squid. Cut the tentacles from the body (below the eyes) and remove the sharp beak (which feels like a small gumball) in the center of each set of tentacles. Cut into 1/8-inch rounds. Dry the rings and tentacles on a sheet tray lined with paper towels.
• Fry the basil leaves until crispy, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the oil, letting the excess drain off, and place on the cooling rack. Season with salt immediately. Fry the lemon slices until crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the excess oil, then place on paper towels and season immediately. Transfer the lemons and basil to a bowl. Replace the paper towels for the next batch.
• Place a hand strainer in the batter (to easily find pieces) and sprinkle the squid with salt. Starting with the tentacles, fully coat in the batter, then drop into the hot oil. Fry until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and salt. Repeat with the rings. Bring the oil back to 350 degrees F and dip the shrimp in the batter. Drop in small batches into the hot oil. Fry, turning on both sides with a slotted metal spoon until crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and salt.
• Transfer the tartar sauce ramekin to a medium serving bowl and arrange the fried lemons, basil leaves, squid and shrimp around it. Serve immediately.

BROCCOLI FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• Fill a large, deep, heavy pot with enough oil to come up 2 inches from bottom of pot. Place over medium heat; clip a deep-fry thermometer to pot and heat oil to 350°.
• Cut a slit in the side of each pepperoncini; squeeze out excess liquid and pat very dry. Stir together pepperoncini brine, vinegar, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to make the dipping sauce; set aside.
• Whisk together 1 cup rice flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup club soda and wine. (Batter should have the texture of thin honey.) Add remaining 1/4 cup rice flour to a shallow bowl.
• Preheat oven to 200°. Working with a few pieces at a time to avoid crowding, toss Broccolini in rice flour, then dip in batter, turning to coat. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to pot and fry until crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer Broccolini to a wire rack set over a baking sheet; season with salt. Place baking sheet in oven to keep warm.
• Thin batter with more club soda until it has the consistency of heavy cream (about 2 tablespoons). This will prevent thick clumps of batter from forming in the florets. Repeat batter and frying instructions in step four with broccoli, followed by pepperoncini and sage. Serve right away or keep in oven up to 1 hour. Serve with reserved dipping sauce.

FRITTO MISTO WITH TWO MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Sauce:
• Whisk together mustards, vinegar, mustard seeds, and shallots. Add salt, to taste.
• Batter:
• Grind the rice in a blender until very fine. In a bowl, stir together the ground rice, semolina, flour, salt, and pepper.
• Fritto Misto:
• Heat several inches of oil to 375 degrees F in a deep fryer or a wide, deep, heavy pot. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
• Slit the calamari bodies open so they lie flat. Place calamari (bodies and tentacles), mushrooms, fennel, and lemon in separate bowls. Toss each with enough buttermilk to moisten them. Dip the calamari generously in the rice batter, using enough to fully coat.
• Working in batches (it's important not to overcrowd the pot), fry until golden brown and crisp, and then transfer to a tray lined with paper towels. Season immediately with salt. Transfer to a low oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining calamari.
• Coat and fry the mushrooms, fennel, and lemon slices in the same way, working in batches and transferring them to the low oven as they are done.
• Put a generous pool of mustard sauce on each plate, then top with an assortment of fried squid, mushrooms, fennel, and lemon.

FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• Prepare the batter. In a mixing bowl, sift the flour and salt. Make a well in the center. Pour the olive oil and gradually beat in the water to make a smooth, thick batter. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Before using, beat the egg whites until firm. Lightly fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.
• Preheat the oil to 375 degrees F.
• Thoroughly wash all the seafood in water. Drain. Dip the assorted seafood and vegetables in the prepared batter and shake off any excess batter. Cook in hot oil and fry until crisp and golden. Lift out and drain on paper towels.
• Fry the basil, sage and parsley, then drain. Sprinkle fried seafood with salt and divide onto 4 serving plates. Garnish with the fried herbs and lemon wedges. Serve immediately with Sauce Tartare.
• Combine the hard-boiled egg, capers, cornichon, anchovies, chives and parsley with the mayonnaise.
• Fold in the whipped cream. Chill and use as needed.
• Yield: 2 cups
• Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, "Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen" Houghton Mifflin, 1981.

ARTICHOKE, FENNEL, AND LEMON FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• To separate artichoke bottoms, slice off upper two-thirds of each bulb, and discard. Snap off tough outer leaves; scoop out bristly choke with a spoon. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, remove green skin from around white center. Thinly slice bottoms.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the artichoke bottoms, fennel, lemons, and buttermilk to coat evenly. Place flour in a separate bowl, and season with salt and pepper; whisk to combine.
• Pour the oil into a heavy, deep-sided skillet or deep fryer; place over medium-high heat until it registers 370 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Drain vegetables and lemons, discarding liquid.
• Working with one piece at a time, dredge vegetables and lemon in flour, and carefully place in the hot oil. Cook 6 to 7 pieces at a time until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
• Using kitchen tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables and lemons to drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. As soon as each batch is done, sprinkle with salt, and serve immediately.

FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• FOR THE BATTER: Combine the flour, cornstarch, black pepper, and cayenne in a medium bowl. In a measuring cup, mix together the water and olive oil. While whisking the flour mixture, pour in the water and oil mixture in a steady stream until the mixture is just combined. It should resemble heavy cream in texture. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for at least 1 hour. Just before frying, use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. With a large rubber spatula, fold the beaten egg whites completely into the batter.
• Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.
• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees. (Use an instant-read ­thermometer that registers high temperatures or clip a candy/deep-fry thermometer onto the side of the pot before turning on the heat.) To coat the vegetables, submerge them in the ­batter and, using tongs, remove them from the batter, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Making sure not to overcrowd the pan, fry the vegetables in batches until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per batch, depending on the vegetable. Adjust the temperature as necessary to maintain an oil temperature of 375 degrees. Remove the vegetables with a second pair of tongs, allowing the excess oil to run off the vegetables and back into the pot, then drain the vegetables on an oven-safe plate layered with paper towels. Use a mesh skimmer to remove any burned bits of batter from the oil and repeat with another batch of vegetables. Lightly salt and pepper the vegetables while still hot. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
• Fritto misto is best eaten immediately (have everyone in the kitchen to eat the vegetables as soon as they come out of the oil), but the fried vegetables can be held for up to 1/2 hour in a 200-degree oven on a paper towel-lined baking sheet or ovensafe plate.

VEGETABLE FRITTO MISTO WITH LEMON MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• For the fritto misto: In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt and pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about 1/3 of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 1 minute.).
• Mix the egg and water together to make the egg wash. Dip the cauliflower, green beans, fennel, garbanzo beans, and lemon slices in the egg wash, then dredge in the flour to coat. Fry the dredged ingredients for 1 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels.
• For the lemon mayonnaise: In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise and lemon juice together until smooth. Pour into a small dipping or serving bowl.
• Arrange the fritto misto on a platter and serve with the lemon mayonnaise.
• If you don't want the lemon mayo, a good squeeze of fresh lemon does the trick too! Try this with other vegetables too. I'm going to do eggplant and zucchini next.

VEGETABLE FRITTO MISTO WITH LEMON MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• For the fritto misto: In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt and pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about 1/3 of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 1 minute.) Dredge the cauliflower, green beans, fennel, garbanzo beans, and lemon slices in the flour. Fry the dredged ingredients for 1 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels.
• For the lemon mayonnaise: In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise and lemon juice together until smooth. Pour into a small dipping or serving bowl.
• Arrange the fritto misto on a platter and serve with the lemon mayonnaise.

SIMPLE FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F.
• Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in the water to make a thin batter. Dip the green beans, zucchini and lemons in the batter and carefully place them in the saucepan. Fry the vegetables until lightly browned, 1 to 3 minutes. Drain the vegetables on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with salt. Serve the vegetables warm.

FRITTO MISTO DI MARE

Steps:

• Make the batter: Put flour and salt in a small bowl and gradually whisk in wine to obtain a smooth, lump-free mixture. Rest 30 minutes. Add seltzer just before frying.
• Near the stove, put the seasoned dredging flour in a shallow bowl. Place finished batter next to it and an empty plate next to that. Put fish and other ingredients for frying nearby.
• Put oil in a large wok or a wide, deep pot and fasten a candy thermometer to the side. Heat oil to 375 degrees.
• Working in small batches, dip a few pieces of shrimp, squid, scallop, mussels, white bait, sliced lemon and scallion first into the seasoned flour to coat lightly, then into the batter. Put battered pieces on the empty plate.
• Slip a few pieces into the hot oil and fry 3 to 4 minutes, until golden. Remove with tongs or wire spider and drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Hold fried food in a warm oven while continuing to fry. Make sure to regulate heat below wok to keep oil at correct temperature (adding too many pieces to the oil will cause it to cool.) Rid oil of debris between batches with a fine meshed skimmer.
• As soon as you have enough to serve, pile it onto a warmed platter. Sprinkle with sea salt (and crushed red pepper if desired). Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges. Continue to fry in small batches.

EMERIL'S SEAFOOD FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• The zucchini should be cut into 1-inch by 4-inch individual strips.
• Whisk flour and olive oil together then add enough water to make a thinnish batter. You don't want it too thin. Season the batter with salt and pepper and let set 30 minutes before folding in whites.
• Season all the seafood and vegetables with salt and pepper. Then dip seafood in batter and let excess drip off. USE lots of paper towels.
• Now preheat the oil and fry fish in batches starting with calamari and finish with sea bass. After each batch let oil return to frying temp before doing next batch.
• Now dip the veggies and again let excess drip off and then fry until golden brown. About 3 to 4 minutes. Watch your temperature and the vegetables.
• Drain all fried items on paper plates. Taste and season as needed.
• Emeril suggests using two fry pans to speed up the process. Do not try that unless you have done lots of frying. It's too easy to get hurt with hot grease. If there are two of you doing this, give it a shot.
• Spoon the Marinara sauce over the bottom of a large platter then pile the fried seafood and vegetables on top of the sauce. Garnish with drizzles of aioli, cheese and parsley.
• Dig in and be a Roman -- .