Some Sort of a Small Fry

One thing you will discover if you go to local fish markets in Italy is that the some of the fish for sale have strictly local names, and this is the case with these tiny fish I found: Bagiggi aren't mentioned in any of my cookbooks, nor is the Internet of any assistance. If I had a pound of them, what would I do?

Fry Them

Italians are great fans of fried fish, and little will bring a smile quicker in the summer months than a frittura di paranza, or small fry.

To serve 4 you'll need:
2 pounds (900 g) bagiggi or similar small fish
2 cups flour
2 cups olive oil (or other with a high smoke point if you prefer) for frying
Salt
Lemon wedges
Sprigs of parsley

Depending upon their size, you may or may not want to clean the fish. When they're quite small, on the order of 2 inches (5 cm), Italians do not clean them, but rather simply rinse them and pat them dry. If they're larger, Italians generally do clean them.

In any case, once you have cleaned them if need be, washed them, and dried them, dredge them in flour, and while you're doing this heat your oil.

Toss a bread cube into the oil, and if it rises to the surface immediately, already beginning to brown, the oil is hot. Fry the fish in fairly small batches to keep the oil from cooling, removing them with a slotted spoon when they are golden. Drain them on absorbent paper, salt them lightly, and serve them at once, garnished with the parsley, and with lemon wedges on the side.

Another option if you have small fry is to procure squid rings or baby octopuses, prawns or shrimp, and some larger fish, and make a fritto misto di pesce, mixed fried fish.

Fried Fish on About:
Japanese sweet and sour fish
Cajun fried fish with beer batter

How to Select Fresh Fish
Other Fish Recipes