Main course (seafood), Italian classic, fried platter
Crispy, light, and salty-sweet like the seaside: a classic Italian fritto made with a mix of seafood, lightly coated and quickly fried, then finished with lemon.
Recipe video
Prep your seafood (the crispness starts here). Rinse seafood quickly under cold water only if needed, then drain well. Pat everything very dry with paper towels. Wet seafood = soggy coating and oil splatter. Keep shrimp, squid, and fish in separate bowls so you can fry in batches.
Make the coating. In a wide bowl, mix all-purpose flour, rice flour, salt, pepper, and (if using) baking powder. This is a dry coat, not a batter—simple and very Italian.
Set up your frying station. Place a wire rack over a tray (or line a tray with paper towels). Keep a slotted spoon/tongs ready. If you have a thermometer, aim for 175–180°C / 347–356°F.
Heat the oil properly. Pour oil into a deep, heavy pot (or deep pan) so you have a safe depth. Heat over medium-high. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop in a tiny pinch of flour: it should sizzle immediately and float, not burn fast.
Coat the seafood (lightly!). Add a small batch of seafood to the flour mix and toss gently. Shake off excess flour—too much coating can make it heavy and can dirty the oil faster.
Fry in batches (don’t crowd). Lower seafood into the hot oil carefully. Fry until pale golden and crisp: Shrimp: about 1–2 min Squid rings: about 1–2 min (overcooking makes them chewy) Small fish: about 2–3 min Remove when crisp and just golden.
Drain and season at the right moment. Drain on the rack/tray. While it’s still hot, sprinkle a little salt. Repeat with remaining batches, letting the oil come back to temperature each time.
Finish and serve immediately. Pile on a platter, add lemon wedges, and (optional) a shower of chopped parsley. Serve right away—fritto loses crunch as it sits. Type of dish Main course (seafood), Italian classic, fried platter
