Crispy Shrimp Fritto Misto (Printable)
Light, airy batter coats shrimp and vegetables for a crisp, golden finish—served hot with lemon and parsley.
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood & Vegetables
01 - 14 oz 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 oz green beans, trimmed
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3.5 oz 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 cup plus 1 tablespoon sparkling water, ice cold
→ 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 and all vegetables thoroughly dry with paper towels and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Pour in ice-cold sparkling water and whisk until the mixture is just combined and slightly lumpy.
03 - Preheat neutral oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed saucepan to 350°F. Monitor temperature with a kitchen thermometer.
04 - Working in batches, dip shrimp and each prepared vegetable into the batter, allowing any excess to drip off. Carefully lower pieces into the hot oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
05 - Remove fried items with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat process with remaining seafood and vegetables, ensuring oil temperature remains consistent.
06 - Arrange the crispy fritto misto on a platter. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The ice-cold, bubbly batter gives each bite a vividly airy crunch that restaurant versions rarely match.
- It's the ultimate crowd-pleaser, and you can toss in whatever vegetables you fancy or happen to have on hand.
02 -
- If the batter sits too long or you over-mix, it goes limp and you lose all that airy crunch—I learned this after one sad, soggy round.
- Holding fried food in a warm oven helps if you’re making big batches, but nothing beats eating it right as it comes out.
03 -
- An icy-cold batter makes every difference—set your sparkling water in the freezer for a few minutes beforehand.
- If you're nervous about your oil temperature, a small kitchen thermometer is worth its weight in gold.