The pleasure of Fritto all’italiana

2017-11-17 Fritto all’italiana is a classic Italian main course: different ingredients are given a tasty breadcrumb coating before being plunged in boiling oil and emerging golden-brown and crispy.
The recipe we’re going to make comes from the book Gusto Italiano. Cucina contemporanea dei maestri Alma (Edizioni Plan, Milan, 2012) edited by Luciano Tona, Arturo Delle Donne and Andrea Sinigaglia. It showcases spectacular dishes created by chefs who also teach at ALMA-The International School of Italian Cuisine in Colorno, near Parma.
This wonderfully simple yet impressive dish comes from Marco Soldati, the talented chef at LaMandorla restaurant in Savona.

Here are the ingredients for 4 servings of Fritto all’italiana:

• 200 g heart sweetbreads;
• 200 g calf’s brain;
• 200 g calf’s liver;
• 100 g frogs;
• 6 amaretti biscuits;
• 100 g aubergines;
• 150 g courgettes;
• 6 courgette flowers;
• 100 g cooking apples;
• 2 litres peanut oil;
• 6 eggs;
• 300 g white breadcrumbs;
• 100 g flour;
• salt.

Here’s how to make our recipe.

• Blanch the sweetbreads, starting off with cold water, and the brains, starting with boiling water.
• Gut the frogs.
• Cut all the ingredients up into similar sized pieces.
• Dip each piece in the flour, then in the beaten egg and finally in the breadcrumbs.
• Fry in boiling hot oil.
• Add salt to taste.
• Drain on kitchen paper.
• Arrange the fried food in baskets lined with rice paper.
• Serve your Fritto all'italiana piping hot.

 
Mariagrazia Villa
 
Recipe: Chef Marco Soldati (“LaMandorla”, Savona).
Source: Luciano Tona, Arturo Delle Donne, Andrea Sinigaglia (editors), Gusto Italiano. Cucina contemporanea dei maestri Alma, Edizioni Plan, Milan, 2012.
Food photography: Arturo Delle Donne.