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Crispy Fried Vegetables in Batter

17/11/2023

Battered fried vegetables are a delicious and crunchy appetizer, and the batter can be prepared in various ways. Here I will present you with a simple and tasty version with a small Italian twist in the batter.

Ingredients

  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 small eggplant
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 200 g of mushrooms (such as champignons or porcini)
  • 00 wheat flour for the batter, about 150-200 g
  • 1 egg
  • 200 ml of cold sparkling water
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Seed oil for frying (such as sunflower or peanut)

Preparation

  1. Wash all vegetables. Slice zucchini and eggplants into rounds about 5 mm thick, cut bell peppers into strips, and mushrooms into quarters or leave whole if small.
  2. Prepare the batter by mixing the flour with the egg and sparkling water until it becomes a smooth mixture similar to pancake batter consistency. The secret is the sparkling water, which makes the batter lighter and crispier. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Dip the vegetables in the batter, making sure they are completely covered.
  4. Heat a generous amount of oil in a frying pan or deep fryer until it reaches a temperature of about 170-180 °C. A trick is to drop a small drop of batter into the oil; if it immediately starts to fry and floats to the top, the oil is ready.
  5. Fry the vegetables in batter in small amounts so as not to lower the oil temperature too much and to prevent them from sticking together.
  6. Once the vegetables are golden and crispy, drain them well and lay them on paper towels to remove the excess oil.
  7. Serve hot, perhaps with a sprinkle of fine salt or with a dipping sauce of your choice.

An Italian variant could include the addition of finely chopped aromatic herbs such as rosemary or sage in the batter for an extra touch of flavor.

Curiosity

This type of frying is very common in Italy and is often served as an appetizer or side dish. Depending on the regions, you can find variations of the batter, some of which add beer instead of sparkling water for a unique flavor and even lighter texture.

Crispy Fried Vegetables in Batter