Frittelle di Baccalà
The ultimate coastal Italian street food appetizer: fiercely crispy and golden on the outside, incredibly airy and fluffy on the inside, packed with tender desalted cod, fresh garlic, and parsley.
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35 min
Easy
Italiana
4 servings
The story behind
You seriously have absolutely no idea what an incredible, deeply addictive snack these turn out to be—they are the kind of finger food where you tell yourself you'll have just one, and suddenly the whole plate is gone! The very first time I experienced proper frittelle di baccalà was from a tiny street vendor along the canals in Venice on a crisp evening. The immediate texture contrast of breaking through that intense crunchy shell into a cloud-like center beautifully infused with the salinity of the cod completely blew my mind. The vendor proudly shared with me that the golden secret to keeping them light and airy (rather than heavy or doughy) is mixing the batter with ice-cold sparkling mineral water or beer, and flash-frying them in hot oil to seal them instantly without absorbing grease. Personally, I absolutely love whipping a batch up for weekend gatherings because they vanish in minutes. They look identical to the photo layout when served piping hot over rustic parchment paper, scattered with fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley across the top, and paired with a small side ramekin of translucent sweet-chili or spicy sauce, exactly like the setup in Frittelle di Baccalà.png. Pair with a chilled glass of Prosecco or a cold lager for an exceptional match. You will fall in love with them completely!
Instructions
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1Gently simmer the desalted cod in a small pot of water for 5 to 7 minutes until opaque and tender. Drain thoroughly, allow to cool slightly, and flake finely with your fingers while ensuring any stray bones are removed.
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2In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, minced garlic, chopped fresh parsley, and a good pinch of cracked black pepper.
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3Drop the egg yolk into the center and gradually stream in the ice-cold beer (or sparkling water), whisking continuously until a smooth, thick batter forms—it should resemble thick pancake batter.
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4In a separate clean bowl, whip the egg white until soft peaks form, then use a silicone spatula to gently fold it into the main batter. This step is essential for creating that cloud-like fluffiness inside.
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5Fold the flaked cod chunks carefully into the mixture until uniformly distributed.
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6Heat your vegetable oil in a deep heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat (aim for 170°C to 180°C).
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7Using two large spoons, scoop portions of the batter to form small spheres or dollops and carefully slip them into the roaring hot oil. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning them once, until fully puffed and beautifully golden-brown to perfectly mirror Frittelle di Baccalà.png.
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8Use a slotted spoon to transfer the hot fritters to a paper towel-lined wire rack to drain any surface oil pools.
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9Serve immediately while hot on a platter, finish with a colorful shower of fresh chopped parsley, and seat a small bowl of translucent sweet dipping sauce right on the side.
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