Tag: Prepare

How to prepare a perfect fish fry – Italian Cuisine

How to prepare a perfect fish fry


There fish fry it is the sin of gluttony that very few can resist. But doing it well is not easy. There are those who make mistakes batter, who the temperature or the type of oil to use, who the matter first to stir-fry or cook in a fryer.

Don't worry: here are some tips from Salt and pepper to prepare a perfect fish fry.

Crispy and light fish fry: secrets and errors

No one likes to bring freshly gutted fish to the table, coated with a soggy breadcrumbs and maybe dripping oil. If this scenario is familiar to you, follow ours carefully straight.

The first rule to get a good fish fry is the greatness of matter before. You have to choose small or very small fish, anyway never heavier than 200 grams each.

Then look at the cooking pan! Also this tool can change the result of fish frying. The fryer remains the first choice but, in the absence of this appliance, you can use one very large frying pan because the fish must be completely immersed in oil. This allows a uniform cooking, a shorter contact time with the fat and therefore a lower absorption by the food.

Among the errors to be avoided there is also that of salt the fish and the batter before cooking. Salt, by osmosis, extracts liquids from food, creating that soggy and moist breading effect that makes anyone's nose twist. It is also good dry the fish before working it, always to avoid spoiling the breading.

Before starting the preparation, it is good Bring the fish to room temperature. Trying to cook cold food could affect the temperature of the oil. And, among the consequences of this action, there is also that of a greater absorption of fat by the fish.

Always for the same reason it is good choose to fry a few pieces at a time: in this way the temperature of the oil will not suffer too many jolts and your fish will remain crunchy and golden.

At the end of all these operations, when the fish fry will be on paper, only then can you sprinkle the salt.

Well, by following these tips and avoiding the most common mistakes you will get a perfect and above all fried light. In fact, limiting the absorption of the oil will also reduce thecaloric intake of the dish.

Types of fish for frying

In a fish fry to be licked the mustache can not miss i cod fillets, i whitebait and of course the small crustaceans, shrimps is shrimp, in addition to the clams. Also don't forget the famous rings of squid you hate tattler. You can also fry too octopus, sardines, anchovies and other mixed fish.

Frozen fish fry

Who said you can't have one fish fry perfect with frozen raw material? THE frozen foods today they have reached very high quality levels. In order not to ruin the final result it is sufficient to respect the rules for an excellent fish fry.

What flour is used for breading and frying fish?

Once the pieces of fish, shellfish and crustaceans to be fried have been cleaned and dried, there is a first crossroads to deal with: fried fish with breading or batter? If you have chosen the first road, pay attention to the flour to use. Better to bet on a mixture of soft wheat or, if you have celiac guests at dinner, on one chickpea flour. You can choose to bread your fish even with re-milled durum wheat semolina to get a really crunchy result.

How to make the batter to fry the fish

If you prefer to get a more substantial fry, instead of breading with flour you can choose to prepare one batter. Shell the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Put the flour in a bowl and, using a whisk, mix it with 2 dl of ale, which you will pour into a flush.

At this point, mix the mixture with the yolks, seal it all with the film and let it rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile the egg whites mounts to snow and, at the end of the rest of the first mixture, mix them with batter. You just have to pass the various pieces in the liquid and fry.

What oil do you use for frying fish?

One of the rules for getting a good fish fry is the kind of oil chosen. Among those on the market it is better to choose a good one peanut oil. The reason: his smoking point. With this expression we refer to the temperature above which the oil begins to release volatile substances that can harm the human body, such as acrolein or acrylamide.

According to laboratory tests the oil with the highest smoke point – 210 ° – is that of peanut. Me too'extra virgin olive oil it arrives at that point of smoke, but in this case you have to choose an olive oil with low acidity. It is better to stay away from sunflower, corn or various seed oils.

There temperature frying oil must be very high: 200 ° C for longer fish, from 3 to 5 centimeters in length; 180 ° C for the heavier ones. In this way the fish will be crunchy on the outside and soft inside. Careful not to reach the smoke point. Not to risk using a nice pin thermometer, which will help you not make mistakes.

Ingredients and mixed fried recipe

To prepare the mixed fried seafood for 4 people procured 300 grams of squid, 300 grams of anchovies or anchovies, 300 grams of shrimp tails and 300 grams of mullet. You'll also need the ingredients for the batter (200 grams of flour, 2 eggs, 2 dl of beer).

Once the shopping is done, i slip shrimp, cut them on the back and remove the black thread with a toothpick. Rinse them and dry them. Switch to squid: remove the fins, remove the tentacles from the body, remove the eyes and beak using scissors. Empty and wash the inside of the bags, turn them upside down and remove the dark film that covers them. Then cut them into rings. Also clean the mullet and the anchovies. This operation must be done, obviously, if the fishmonger has not done so for you or if you have not chosen a frozen product.

Once the batter is prepared as we have seen, heat the oil in the pavement and, once it reaches 180 ° C, dip the anchovies and mullet in the boiling fat. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Then knead and fry the squid for 2-3 minutes, while the prawns should not exceed a minute of cooking. Put all the fry on one tray that you have lined with absorbent paper for fried foods and that you will keep in a hot oven, but off.

Only at the end of cooking sprinkle the mixed fried fish with salt, pepper, peel of lemon grated is basil chopped.

How to fry squid well

To fry well i squid cleaning is a fundamental step, but even more so is the drying of private parts of the inedible parts and properly washed. Wipe them carefully with a cloth or with absorbent paper.

Of course, the advice you read about oil, breading and batter applies. Better the flour that does not weigh down the rings too much. For a fanciful variation and to get a brighter yellow color at the end of the frying, try the corn flour. Remember not to exceed 2-3 minutes of cooking.

How to fry the prawns well

To fry well i shrimps, wash them, extract the gut, infarinali and then fry them using abundant oil.

Ingredients and recipe for tempura

Typical cooking technique of Japanese cuisine, the Tempura allows you to combine fish frying with mixed vegetables, with a light and healthy result.

The first trick is in the preparation of the batter. Ice-cold sparkling water must be mixed and rice flour. There are those who give it a little more character with the addition of sugar, baking soda and egg yolk. However, the mixture should not be too liquid: just a few whip strokes. Before dipping the ingredients in the batter, they should be floured.

For a perfect tempura the rule of cold. The bowl in which the batter is prepared must be cold, as well as the ingredients to be fried. The temperature difference with the oil will seal the batter and make the light fry, preventing it from absorbing vegetable fat. The tempura oil must be between 170 ° and 180 ° C in temperature.

Blackberry tart: how to prepare it – Italian Cuisine

Blackberry tart: how to prepare it


It is a simple dessert, but capable of maximizing the flavor of blackberries: not to be missed even in the veg variant

There blackberries pie it is one of the simplest desserts there is, but at the same time it is also one of the most loved. A piece of tart never refuses, and is a dessert for all seasons because you can vary the filling depending on the fruits that nature offers us. And in the beginning of autumn, you can take advantage of the blackberries to prepare a tart to be enjoyed for breakfast or to accompany a cup of tea, in the afternoons spent at home.

Few ingredients for a mouth-watering result

To go back to the origins of the tart you have to go to XIV century, and further back to get news of the shortcrust pastry, which forms the basis and which is the starting point for preparing this delicious dessert. Flour, butter, sugar, egg yolks and salt is all you need to make it: it must be prepared carefully because the overall result depends on its success. The pastry in fact must result friable at the right point and must keep his pleasant crunchiness.

How to prepare

The first step is therefore to prepare the short pastry. In a bowl, add 200 g of butter, 200 g of sugar, the grated rind of a lemon, 5 egg yolks, a pinch of salt and stir quickly. Add the flour, 500 g, and work all the ingredients until the mixture is compact. With the obtained mixture, form a ball, cover it with kitchen film and leave it to rest in the fridge for at least an hour. After this time, take the dough, cut it in half and roll it out with a rolling pin on a floured surface, trying to give it a circular shape. The base must have a thickness of 4-5 mm. Butter the pan and spread the pastry on the mold, cutting the excess paste along the edge. Depending on whether you want to prepare a tart with fresh blackberries or jam, you have to follow two different procedures. In the first case, pour 500 g of blackberries, two tablespoons of cornstarch, two of sugar and the juice of half a lemon in a bowl and mix everything together. Pour the mixture over the shortcrust pastry, which you have previously pierced, cover with the same dough spread (always taking care to prick it) and bake for 30 minutes at 180 °. If you want to prepare the tart with the marmalade, spread the pastry on a baking sheet but remember to keep a small amount aside that you will need to decorate the tart. Prick the shortcrust pastry in the pan with the lobes of a fork, spread the jam over it and decorate with the strips of pastry. Bake at 180 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.

The vegan variant

Sift 500 g of flour, form a fountain and add 150 g of brown sugar, 250 g of soy butter, a pinch of salt and ½ cup of soya milk cold. Knead for about 15 minutes and when the dough is compact wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for about an hour. In the meantime prepare the custard. Put ½ liter of soy milk in a small saucepan and add 4 tablespoons of flour, 7 tablespoons of brown sugar and ½ vanilla pod. Mix the ingredients, making sure they do not form lumps, and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes and let it cool. Take the dough and roll it out until it is 5 mm thick, line a cake pan and bake at 180 ° for 30 minutes. Once baked, decorate with custard and blackberries.

The fake blackberry tart with puff pastry

If you have little time, buy some rolled puff pastry in the supermarket, bucherellatela and fill it with 500 g of blackberries (if you like, do it halfway with fresh grapes, even American). Take care to fold the pasta dough well inward so that the filling does not come out during baking. Brush the dough with egg yolk and bake for about 20 minutes.
Serve hot with a few balls of vanilla ice cream.

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Batarò, how to prepare and eat the typical Val Tidone sandwich – Italian Cuisine

Batarò, how to prepare and eat the typical Val Tidone sandwich


The batarò is a typical sandwich of the Val Tidone, a hilly area in the province of Piacenza. Cooked in a wood-fired oven, it is eaten stuffed with typical cold cuts, coppa and pancetta

on hills of the Val Tidone, in the province of Piacenza, the batarò it has the scent of lost time. Those in the area know well the "violent joy" that is unleashed at the first bite of this particular sandwich, the same one that Marcel Proust described talking about his madeleine soaked in tea. It is not really about taste, but about memories. Those related to childhood, when mothers, grandmothers and aunts, on the day they made bread, set aside a bit of dough to test the temperature of the wood-fired oven and while they were there to prepare children's snack. These were the days of family lunches, afternoons spent playing on the farmyard or hide-and-seek among the bales of hay. And, before that, when the peasants from the little they had knew they could make the most of it.

Batarò, the "poor" sandwich from Val Tidone

The batarò (the final "o" is pronounced closed) is a oval and thin sandwich, made to swell a few moments after the first contact with heat, without crumbs, ideal for being stuffed with Piacenza cold cuts, coppa and pancetta, and appreciate its taste and texture. The batarò "perfect" they say is the one with "Pancetta e zola" (gorgonzola), especially if bitten as soon as it comes out of the oven. For the sweet version, just add sugar or honey, or Nutella. There recipe It is born "Poor", from the union of the bread dough with the leftovers of the polenta, but behind its simplicity is hidden a sum of adjustments, balances and know-how handed down that ensure that success is achieved only thanks to perfect execution.

Ingredients and recipe

That proposal below is one of several variables collected by talking to some "rasdùre" of the place, women who still remember the day when the perfect batarò came out: that there were weather conditions, what doses they had applied, how much wood was in the oven, "because it is difficult for it to always be equally good to itself". These the ingredients: one kilo of soft wheat flour, corn flour, in a variable percentage between 10 and 30% according to taste, 25 g of yeast, 500 ml of water, 50 g of extra virgin olive oil, 10 g sugar, 20 g of salt.

Proceed step by step

Blanch the cornmeal with a portion of boiling and salted water and stir until it is completely absorbed (there are those who use milk instead of water). Once the mixture has cooled, add it to soft wheat flour, mix and add the yeast previously dissolved in a bowl of warm water with a teaspoon of sugar. Mix everything, add the rest of the water and knead until you get a soft but compact compound. Leave to rise for a couple of hours or so. Once the mass has doubled, knead again and let it rise for another half hour. At this point form balls as big as a fist then roll out the dough, pull it with a rolling pin or with the machine, beat it (hence the name) and bake. The temperature of the wood-fired oven is one of the decisive elements. This must be high, but not too high, and the batarò must not be near the flame otherwise it will burn. Wait for it to swell, then turn it over and wait a few more minutes. Those who do not have a wood-burning oven can try to use the home oven at 250 ° for 5-10 minutes, but the result, as we know, will not be the same.

From a festival at De.Co., a story of rediscovery

Until a few years ago its preparation was still relegated to a purely family environment. One of the few opportunities to taste it, outside the domestic circle, was the historical festival of Sala Mandelli, a festival that takes place in this small hilltop hamlet every first weekend in September (this year from 6 to 8). Or he could be found in a couple of pizzerias between Pianello and Trevozzo. Today, thanks to the rediscovery of ancient flavors (and knowledge), the batarò has regained space in the local food culture. This is also due to the path taken by the municipality of Nibbiano (now Alta Val Tidone) which led to the recognition of the batarò as product De.Co. (Municipal denomination of origin). First he started to depopulate in village festivals, in particular those organized by the Pro Loco of Trevozzo, then in other places both in Piacenza and in the province and now it is found even beyond the borders of the province, in particular in Genoa in the local Batarò – Peasant Sandwich, format created by chef Danilo Gatti.

"Serata batarò" at the Belrespiro restaurant, a breath of fresh air

Remaining in the area, instead, ad Agazzano there is a restaurant, the Belrespiro, which this summer organized the "Serata batarò", an initiative that will continue also for every next Wednesday in September. The chef Fabio Delledonne and his crew are working hard to bring out the Piacenza cuisine from its stereotypes and enrich the tradition with a breath of freshness. They do it all year round, but perhaps the maximum expression of this enterprise lies precisely in the reinterpretation of the batarò, where the perfect execution of the sandwich (respect for tradition) is combined with a proposal of fillings, some of which are completely new (innovation). The prevail are the quality and the refinement of raw materials combined with some well executed special workings. The menu speaks for itself, in particular two courses: Batarò with an old Piacenza cow tartare cut with a knife, horseradish, marinated egg sauce and Trombolotto; and Batarò with a frayed pork shoulder, osmosis cabbage, yogurt foam.

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