Orders placed during the holidays will be shipped from 01/09/2026
Orders placed during the holidays will be shipped from 01/09/2026
A summer de ja vù. These dry, hot days bring back fond memories of our holidays, including food.
I think this is the perfect time of year to feast on unforgettable flavours. With its unmistakable aroma, fried food is one of the best memories of summer. Don’t you agree?
Sometimes, in some seaside towns in Sicily, it is sold as street food and eaten as an aperitif. And if you feel like repeating the experience, like me, take advantage of Ghisanativa and cook the “fritto” in a simple way at home. All you need is fresh fish of excellent quality, a cast iron pan without enamels or paints, a lot of passion and that’s it!
For good mixed fried fish, see your local fishmonger who will be able to recommend “Paranza” (assorted small fish for frying) or a mix of fish depending on what’s ‘fresh’ on the counter.
I have bought some small red mullet, small sole, some anchovies, prawns and squid, but you could also add more depending on what you find.
You can gut larger fish by removing the head and guts. Smaller fish can be gutted by making a cut at the level of the guts and removing them.
Then run your fingers over the surface and remove the scales where possible by hand, otherwise use a knife to scrape them off.
Rinse them well and pat them dry with paper towels. Water causes dangerous oil splashes when frying.
Rinse and pat dry the prawns.
Squid, on the other hand, must be stripped of the central beak, intestines and skin, then rinsed and divided into rings in the mantle part, and into pieces in the fins and tentacles.
The fishmonger will usually be happy to prepare the fish for you.
Clean and pat dry everything, all that’s left is to fry.
Prepare a mixture of semolina flour and rice flour, but you can also use semolina or Salo rice flour, which is ideal for coeliacs.
Dip each item in the flour and make sure it is well covered, then shake to remove excess and set aside.
Heat a cast-iron pan with plenty of sunflower oil, dip a toothpick in the oil and if it bubbles you can start cooking.
The temperature of the oil is crucial for an excellent result. It would therefore be perfect to use an iron or cast-iron pan, such as a Ghisanativa pan, which has the exceptional ability to maintain the heat uniform and constant throughout the cooking time.
Common frying pans and pots tend to heat the oil too much or too little and suffer a lot from thermal changes caused by the immersion of the product in the already hot oil. Frying with Ghisanativa is different because the thickness of the pan allows uniformity in the diffusion of heat and minimizes these thermal changes.
Ever since I started using Ghisanativa I only fry using my beloved pan.
Plunge the floured prawns into the hot oil and after about a minute to a minute and a half take them out with a skimmer and place them on absorbent paper.
Do the same with the squid, which will cook for about five minutes, take them out when they are golden brown.
Do the same with the small fish, the cooking time of which will vary according to their size. In any case, take them out when they are golden and crispy.
Throughout the preparation of the dish, cook the elements a few at a time, taking care to remove any excess flour before frying.
Salt only at the end of cooking and garnish with slices of lemon and parsley.
Our dish is ready, all we have to do is enjoy it! You can see the recipe on Instagram, among the reels.
For more information on how to prepare fried food, read this article.
“Mother, wife and blogger. I have my own blog on Giallo Zafferano and I cook simple dishes just like you would. I wrote the first ebook of Ghisanativa recipes and I am very proud of it. Have you downloaded it yet?
Look for me on Instagram @ilcaldosaporedelsud and Facebook. “
