In St. Martin’s Day, as we say in Calabria, every must becomes wine, so we wait for this day to taste the new wine with many both sweet and savory specialties.
St. Martin’s Mushroom Fritters was a recipe my grandmother always made to celebrate this day and enjoy the first glass of this new wine. I still remember, even though I was a child, the aroma and crispness of these delicious hot and steaming fritters.
My grandmother called them St. Martin’s mushrooms, but in reality, they are nothing but honey mushrooms, just because they also grew in this autumn period.
Living in the countryside, these mushrooms were easily found in tufts at the base of tree trunks.
Even today, after many years, I prepared them myself for my family, accompanied by a good glass of local wine, which my father still makes.
The honey mushrooms are delicious mushrooms that are easily recognizable, thanks to their unmistakable appearance: long and slender stems, capped heads, they are easily found on the market.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for St. Martin’s Mushroom Fritters
- 10.5 oz Honey Mushrooms
- 0.5 cup Cold Water
- 3.5 oz Remilled Semolina
- 1.75 oz Grated Parmesan
- 1 sprig Parsley
- 1 clove Garlic
- to taste Salt
- to taste Peanut Oil
Tools
- Pot
- Stove
- Pan
Preparation for St. Martin’s Mushroom Fritters
To prepare the fritters, you need to clean and wash the honey mushrooms well. Clean and remove the final stem, then soak them in cold water for a few minutes. Gently rub them to remove any residual soil or dirt, then rinse them carefully under running water.
The second step is boiling for at least 20 minutes to remove the toxins contained in the mushrooms and thus avoid gastric issues.
Proceed with boiling and skimming: in a high-sided pot, bring plenty of salted water to a boil, pour in the mushrooms, and remove the foam as it forms, then drain the mushrooms and let them cool slightly.Pour the honey mushrooms into a bowl, add cold water, chopped garlic and parsley, Parmesan, a pinch of salt, and flour.
Mix everything well, then fry spoonfuls in a pan with hot oil, turning for a good golden and crispy cooking on both sides.
Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot.
Tips and Variations
The honey mushroom, also known by many other names such as: seedling, family mushroom or honey agaric, stump mushroom, pioppino, is an edible mushroom that can be eaten without major risks, but only cooked.
For this recipe, you can also use other types of mushrooms.
Can I use other types of mushrooms?
Yes, of course, you can substitute honey mushrooms with other mushrooms (porcini, chanterelles, champignons) to still get delicious fritters!
