Thistles in batter are a typical recipe from my homeland, Sicily.
Tradition has it that the eve of the Immaculate Conception kicks off the Christmas holidays with a dinner based on Fried Thistles in Batter.
It’s an easy and economical recipe, the only task is knowing how to clean the thistles, to remove the thorny side parts and the filaments. Then they need to be boiled.
The original batter recipe states that it should be prepared with water, flour, and fresh yeast. It should be thick and without lumps.
I have thought of these recipes for you:
- Cost: Very economical
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Sicily
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, Christmas
- Energy 397.72 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 55.45 (g) of which sugars 1.48 (g)
- Proteins 9.26 (g)
- Fat 17.34 (g) of which saturated 1.76 (g)of which unsaturated 14.32 (g)
- Fibers 4.51 (g)
- Sodium 422.77 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 266 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients Thistles in Batter
- 2.2 lbs thistles (weighed already cleaned)
- 1 cup sparkling water
- Half lemon (only the juice)
- 3.2 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.35 oz fresh yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Half teaspoon salt
- 2.1 cups sunflower oil
Tools Thistles in Batter
- 1 Pot (large)
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Knife
- Absorbent paper
- 1 Colander
Steps Thistles in Batter
The first thing to do is the batter, so while it is rising, we will clean and boil the thistles.
Dissolve the yeast in a little warm water taken from the measured amount, and, in a bowl pour the sifted flour, make a well in the center and add the dissolved yeast and a pinch of sugar.
Start kneading, gradually adding the rest of the water.
When the mixture is smooth, cover the bowl and let it rise for 2-3 hours. When ready to use, the batter should be puffy and full of bubbles.
Let’s clean the thistles.
Wash the whole thistles, then with a knife verify the most tender part, and make a clean cut across the bunch.
Detach the stalks and remove the thorny edges by cutting from the top of each leaf to the base.
Then, as if it were a stalk of celery, on the external part there are filaments that need to be removed one by one.
Get a rather large pot, fill it with water, and a handful of salt. As soon as it starts boiling, put the whole thistles inside, and the juice of half a lemon, and let them cook for about 40 minutes. To check if they are cooked, stick them with a fork, otherwise extend the cooking time a little.
Now that they are cooked, drain the thistles, cover them, and let them cool.
Let’s fry
Cut the thistles in 2 or in 4 if they are large. Fill a wide pan halfway with seed oil, and heat it.Dip the thistle in the batter, let the excess batter drain, and then place it in the pan.
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Fry the thistles on one side and the other until they are golden, and then drain them on absorbent paper.
Thistles in batter are ready to be enjoyed either hot or cold. Happy holidays
Storage and Tips
Thistles in batter by Rita Amordicucina can be stored after cooking for up to 3 days in the fridge.
If you want a richer recipe, before dipping them in the batter, make a sort of beccafico, that is placing an anchovy in oil and a little mozzarella between 2 thistles, then dip them in the batter and fry.
Tips
If you buy thistles in large quantities, you can clean, boil, and freeze them to always have them ready at hand.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Thistles in batter
How else can I enjoy them?
Simply boiled with oil and lemon, or au gratin by putting them in a baking dish with provolone on top and covering them with béchamel sauce. Then sprinkle the surface with breadcrumbs and parmesan and grill for 5 minutes.
