Crispy Shrimp Fritto Misto (Printable)
Golden battered shrimp and vegetables fried until crisp, served with lemon and parsley for sharing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood and Vegetables
01 - 14 ounces large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 1 small zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
03 - 1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
04 - 3.5 ounces green beans, trimmed
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3.5 ounces baby squid, cleaned and cut into rings (optional)
→ Batter
07 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/3 cup corn starch
09 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
10 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
11 - 1 1/8 cups ice-cold sparkling water
→ For Frying
12 - Neutral oil such as sunflower or canola, for deep frying
→ To Serve
13 - 1 lemon, cut into wedges
14 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# How-To Steps:
01 - Pat shrimp, zucchini, bell pepper, green beans, red onion, and squid thoroughly dry with paper towels. Set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder, and sea salt. Whisk in ice-cold sparkling water until just combined; stop while the mixture is still slightly lumpy.
03 - Pour enough neutral oil into a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to submerge ingredients. Heat to 350°F using a kitchen thermometer.
04 - Working in small batches, dip shrimp and vegetables into batter, allowing excess to drip off. Carefully insert into hot oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp.
05 - Remove fried pieces with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Repeat with remaining ingredients, maintaining oil temperature throughout.
06 - Arrange the crispy fritto misto on a platter. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately for best texture.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The batter is light and airy thanks to ice-cold sparkling water, making every piece impossibly crisp.
- You can swap in almost any vegetable, so it never feels exactly the same twice.
02 -
- Once, I crowded the pan thinking I’d save time—and ended up with soggy, sad fritters (patience wins).
- Switching to sparkling water, straight from the fridge, made the batter unbelievably airy and crisp.
03 -
- Always dry your ingredients—moisture is the enemy of crispness.
- Resting the batter for just five minutes can help give an extra crunch when fried.