The HERB FRITTERS are a tasty and fragrant appetizer, perfect for aperitifs, birthday parties or hot buffets. They are made with a batter based on flour, water or milk, eggs and a mix of fresh and dried aromatic herbs depending on availability. Easy and quick to prepare and made with readily available ingredients, they are a great resource when you have unexpected guests and don’t know what to do.
So don’t be afraid of frying: if you follow a few small but important precautions, starting from the right oil and its correct temperature, even fried food doesn’t have to be demonized.
The result is a fragrant and irresistible dish, ideal to serve hot with a sprinkle of salt or accompanied by light sauces such as flavored yogurt or a cheese cream.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 eggs (medium, at room temperature)
- 1 2/3 cups 00 flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons instant baking powder (for savory preparations)
- 1 oz grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan)
- 1 oz grated Pecorino Romano
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 shallots
- 1 sprig thyme
- 4 leaves sage
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- to taste salt
- 1 1/4 cups sunflower oil
WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THE HERB FRITTERS
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pot
PREPARATION: HERB FRITTERS
Preparing the herb fritters is really simple and quick—child’s play, in fact. Start by cleaning and finely chopping the shallots. Strip the herbs from their stems, chop them with a knife and set aside.
In a bowl combine the sifted flour, baking powder, Pecorino, Parmesan, eggs, a pinch of salt and the milk. With the help of a hand whisk, mix all the ingredients until you obtain a smooth batter. If the batter is too thick, add more milk.
Add the herbs and shallots and mix again.
For frying, take a pot with high sides, fill it with oil and bring it to temperature—338°F (about 3 minutes over medium heat). As soon as the oil is hot, using two spoons drop spoonfuls of batter and fry your fritters a few at a time.
The fritters will be ready as soon as they puff up and turn a nice golden color.
Drain them on kitchen paper.
Serve the mixed herb fritters hot, accompanied by cheeses and cured meats.
Variation
You can also use parsley, basil, chives, and mint
