Fried Sprats in Beer Batter
July 20, 2010
Ingredients
-20 fresh sprats
-1 bottle of beer
- 450 g flour
-1 tablespoon of baking powder
-Salt
Preparation
Make a stiff batter out of the flour, beer, baking powder and salt. It should be thick enough to stick well to the sprats. Put the batter in the refrigerator for around an hour. Cut the tails from the fresh sprats, and free the flesh of the belly and back from the bones by pressing it lightly. Finally, carefully cut away the head, removing the spine at the same time with a light tug.
Roll the sprats lightly in flour, and drop them briefly into the batter.
Finally, drop the sprats into hot oil, frying them until they are crispy and golden brown. After removing them from the oil, set them aside on newspaper or paper towels to cool. Lightly freezing the sprats before frying them helps them retain their shape, and they won't fall apart.
Finally, take the fried sprats and arrange them on a serving dish.
They go well with fresh salad (lollo rosso, iceberg, radicchio), with fresh herbs, and tartar sauce. To make your own, just mix mayonnaise, herbs, onions and sweet pickles. You can also add capers or anchovies if you wish.