Fried Eel, and Instructions for Frying Fish: Bisato is Dalmatian for eel, and fried eel was one of the standard Christmas Eve dishes among the Italians who lived in the region. Gioia Calussi, author of Sapori de Dalmazia, notes that some cooks preferred to boil their eel before they fried it (it is a fatty fish), and subsequently gives excellent instructions for frying fish in general.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Fish (Amounts given below)
- Oil for frying
- Flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lemon wedges
- And egg (if you're making batter)
- A pinch live yeast (optional)
Preparation:
If the fish is fresh and the oil both hot and abundant, this simplest of peasant dishes will be excellent, especially if accompanied by a glass of dry white wine: Fish must swim three times: In the sea, in good olive oil, and finally in wine.
Clean, wash, and dry the fish well. Small fish (sardines, anchovies, minnows, mackerel, and so on) are usually just floured, ideally in durum wheat flour (fine-grained semolina will be perfect). Before you put them in the oil give them a good shake to dislodge excess flour, and salt them after they're fried, while they're still hot.
Larger whole fish or filets or slices of fish should be floured, salted, and then dredged in either whipped egg whites or beaten egg yolks; you can, if you want, add to the latter a finely minced mixture of salted capers (rinse them) and parsley. In any case, once you have dipped the fish in the egg mixture coat it well with breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs against the fish to make certain they adhere well.
You can also dip fish in batter, which should always be prepared beforehand -- an hour or more -- using sifted flour and adding the other ingredients while stirring constantly lest lumps form; the batter should be fluid, but not too liquid or it will come away from the fish, leaving some areas uncovered. To make it, sift a cup (100 g) of flour into a bowl and stir in a cup (250 ml) of warm water and a tablespoon of olive oil, together with, if you want, a pinch of live yeast. Let the batter rest, and before using it fold in an egg white whipped to soft peaks.
Filets of fish benefit considerably from being marinated in lemon juice and minced parsley before they're floured: pat the marinated filets dry, dredge them in egg whites beaten to soft peaks, and then cover them with breadcrumbs.
Once the fish is ready, heat abundant oil in a high-sided pot (people used to use lard too) until it is hot but not smoking (a bread cube tossed into the oil should brown immediately). Add the fish in small batches and cook it until it is golden; at this point turn up the flame for a few seconds and press on the stomachs of the fish: if they don't give of water that makes the oil crackle, they're done. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon, drain it on absorbent paper, salt it, and serve it at once, with lemon wedges, sprigs of parsley as garnish, and tomato sauce for those who want it.
Clean, wash, and dry the fish well. Small fish (sardines, anchovies, minnows, mackerel, and so on) are usually just floured, ideally in durum wheat flour (fine-grained semolina will be perfect). Before you put them in the oil give them a good shake to dislodge excess flour, and salt them after they're fried, while they're still hot.
Larger whole fish or filets or slices of fish should be floured, salted, and then dredged in either whipped egg whites or beaten egg yolks; you can, if you want, add to the latter a finely minced mixture of salted capers (rinse them) and parsley. In any case, once you have dipped the fish in the egg mixture coat it well with breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs against the fish to make certain they adhere well.
You can also dip fish in batter, which should always be prepared beforehand -- an hour or more -- using sifted flour and adding the other ingredients while stirring constantly lest lumps form; the batter should be fluid, but not too liquid or it will come away from the fish, leaving some areas uncovered. To make it, sift a cup (100 g) of flour into a bowl and stir in a cup (250 ml) of warm water and a tablespoon of olive oil, together with, if you want, a pinch of live yeast. Let the batter rest, and before using it fold in an egg white whipped to soft peaks.
Filets of fish benefit considerably from being marinated in lemon juice and minced parsley before they're floured: pat the marinated filets dry, dredge them in egg whites beaten to soft peaks, and then cover them with breadcrumbs.
Once the fish is ready, heat abundant oil in a high-sided pot (people used to use lard too) until it is hot but not smoking (a bread cube tossed into the oil should brown immediately). Add the fish in small batches and cook it until it is golden; at this point turn up the flame for a few seconds and press on the stomachs of the fish: if they don't give of water that makes the oil crackle, they're done. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon, drain it on absorbent paper, salt it, and serve it at once, with lemon wedges, sprigs of parsley as garnish, and tomato sauce for those who want it.
