Nothing says summer in Italy like a fritto misto. Whether it's enjoyed dining al fresco or savored street food-style while strolling, the classic fried fish never fails to hit the spot. Every Italian region has its own iteration – some of which eschew meat altogether.
In Liguria, you might find one serving up only anchovies while in Le Marche, there might be some olive all'Ascolana, meat-stuffed fried olives typical of the region, thrown in for good measure. The Piedmontese version is meat- and vegetable-based – it wouldn't be unusual to find offal such as veal liver added to the mix.
Here's a recipe for a basic seafood version. It calls for both shrimp and scampi. While they do look alike, they differ – scampi belongs to the lobster family. If you cant find both, just buy 12 of either the shrimp or scampi.
Fritto Misto di Pesce
Time 45 mins
Ingredients for 4 servings
1 liter peanut oil
2½ cups/300 g. all-purpose flour
7 oz./ 200 g. fresh anchovies
8 shrimp/prawns
4 scampi
3 squid
2 lemons
salt
How to make fritto misto
Begin by cleaning the shrimp. Remove their heads, shell, and intestine (the black string down its back). Leave the tail in place.
Clean the scampi and the squid, and gut the anchovies. To do so, cut the anchovies in half and remove their bones. It can be tricky since the filets are delicate, but do try to leave the anchovy tails in place. Cut the squid into 1 cm rings, but don't remove the curly tentacles.
Dredge the fish in flour. Remove and then strain to remove any excess flour.
Fry immediately in abundant hot oil for a couple of minutes. Remove and lay the fish on paper towels to dry, which will absorb any excess oil. The fish should be golden and crunchy. Place the fish on serving plates, season with salt, and serve with lemon wedges.