Crispy Shrimp Fritto Misto (Printable Version)
Golden battered shrimp and vegetables fried crisp, served with lemon and parsley for a shareable Italian-style bite.
# What You Need:
→ Seafood & Vegetables
01 - 14 ounces large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 small zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
03 - 1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
04 - 3.5 ounces green beans, trimmed
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3.5 ounces baby squid, cleaned and cut into rings (optional)
→ Batter
07 - 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1/3 cup corn starch
09 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
10 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
11 - 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sparkling water, ice cold
→ For Frying
12 - Neutral oil such as sunflower or canola, for deep frying
→ To Serve
13 - 1 lemon, cut into wedges
14 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# How-To:
01 - Pat the shrimp and all vegetables thoroughly dry using paper towels. Set aside prepared seafood and vegetables.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Gradually whisk in the ice-cold sparkling water until the mixture forms a light, slightly lumpy batter.
03 - Pour neutral frying oil into a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to a safe depth. Heat the oil to 350°F, monitoring with a kitchen thermometer.
04 - Working in batches, dip shrimp and vegetables into the batter, allowing excess to drip off. Carefully lower each into the hot oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
05 - Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried items onto a plate lined with paper towels. Continue frying remaining batches, maintaining oil temperature throughout.
06 - Arrange the crispy fritto misto on a platter. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve hot.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The batter fries up so light and shattery, you can actually hear the crunch as you bite in—almost like a secret party trick.
- It's unbelievably versatile: whatever veggies you have on hand turn into something special in this fry.
02 -
- If your batter sits too long, it loses its fizz and your fritto comes out soggy—I learned the hard way on my second attempt, so work fast.
- Keeping everything super dry and the oil at temperature is what changed my results from decent to truly amazing.
03 -
- Never double the batch of batter; always make a fresh bowl if you need more since it loses fizz quickly.
- A splash of vodka in the batter can make it even lighter and crisper—just a trick I picked up from a chef friend.