Fritto Misto di Mare (Fritto Misto di Mare alla Ligure — Ligurian Mixed Fried Seafood)

Along the Ligurian coast from Genoa to Cinque Terre, fritto misto di mare is the quintessential summer celebration dish: a heaped platter of just-fried squid, prawns, whitebait, and small fish, eaten immediately with wedges of lemon, standing up at harbour-side stalls or laid out in newspaper cones for the beach. The Ligurian style uses a very light flour-and-sparkling-water batter — sometimes just seasoned flour — so that the seafood is the star, barely enrobed and shatteringly crisp.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 300g (10.5 oz) small squid, cleaned and cut into rings; tentacles left whole
• 250g (9 oz) raw prawns (shrimp), shell-on or peeled, heads removed
• 200g (7 oz) whitebait or small smelt
• 150g (5.3 oz) small red mullet fillets (or other firm white fish fillets)
• 150g (1¼ cups) plain flour (or semolina for extra crunch)
• ½ tsp (2.5g) fine salt
• ½ tsp (2.5g) white pepper
• 1 litre (4 cups) neutral oil, for deep-frying
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges
• Flaky sea salt, to finish

Instructions

1. Rinse all seafood and dry thoroughly on paper towels — any surface moisture will cause violent spattering and steam rather than fry. Refrigerate until cold.
2. Combine flour, salt, and white pepper in a wide shallow bowl.
3. Heat oil in a deep, heavy saucepan to 180°C (355°F). Use a thermometer; consistency of temperature is the key to even browning.
4. Working in small batches, dredge seafood pieces in the seasoned flour, shaking off all excess. Lower carefully into the hot oil.
5. Fry in the following order, keeping batches separate: whitebait 1–2 minutes; squid rings and tentacles 2–3 minutes; red mullet 2–3 minutes; prawns 2–3 minutes. All should be pale gold, not dark brown.
6. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and drain briefly on a rack (not paper towels — they trap steam). Season immediately with flaky salt.
7. Pile all the seafood onto a large platter lined with paper. Serve instantly with lemon wedges. Never let it wait — a cooling fritto misto is a tragedy.

Cook's Notes: Cold seafood and hot oil are the two non-negotiable rules. The oil temperature will drop when seafood is added — never crowd the pan. Semolina instead of flour gives an extra-crunchy, slightly coarser crust that many Ligurian cooks prefer.