(From La Cucina Napoletana, by Jeanne Caròla Francesconi, published by Newton Compton Editori.)
Although salt cod is most often thought of as a winter food, these fritters are good throughout the year.
Ingredients (serves 6):
1 pound of soaked baccalà
2 cups of flour
1 handful of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of yeast
Olive oil for deep frying
1 generous pinch of salt
Put the flour, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture constantly while gradually adding enough warm water to obtain a smooth creamy batter. Continue to work the batter with the spoon for several minutes, and then cover it and put it in a warm place to rise.
Put the baccalà into a pan of gentling boiling water and cook it until you can flake it easily with a fork. Remove it from the water and remove any bones. When it is cool enough to handle, break it into small flakes.
When the batter has risen for about an hour, mix it thoroughly with the baccalà.
Put enough olive oil in a pan suitable for deep frying. Heat the oil almost to boiling. Fry the baccalà mixture by spoonfuls, draining each fritter on a paper towel. Serve with wedges of lemon.
[Note: After it cools, the oil can be strained and saved in a plastic container. Mark the container clearly so you will use the oil for frying only fish. It will serve for another two or three uses.] |