Italian Recipe Collection

vegetables

Battered Vegetables

Ingredients

For the Batter

Instructions

  1. To prepare the battered vegetables, start by washing and thoroughly drying all the vegetables. Peel and trim the carrots, then cut them into batons roughly 1.5 cm (about 0.6 in) thick and 4–5 cm (1.5–2 in) long.
  2. Move on to the zucchini: slice them thickly, then cut into batons of the same size as the carrots.
  3. Halve the yellow bell pepper and remove the internal seeds and white ribs. Cut into batons matching the size of the zucchini and carrots. Repeat the process for the red bell pepper.
  4. Slice the eggplant and cut it into batons of the same size as the other vegetables.
  5. Heat plenty of seed oil in a deep pot, monitoring the temperature with a cooking thermometer until it reaches 170°C (340°F).
  6. Meanwhile, prepare the batter. Add the flour to a mixing bowl, then pour in the sparkling water and the lightly beaten eggs.
  7. Whisk thoroughly until smooth and add a pinch of salt. The batter should be smooth, light, and relatively fluid.
  8. Toss about half of the prepared vegetables into the batter, stirring gently to coat them evenly (fry in batches so they do not overcrowd).
  9. Once the oil reaches the correct temperature, lift the vegetable pieces one by one using kitchen tongs.
  10. Lower them into the hot oil a few pieces at a time so the oil temperature does not drop. Fry for a few minutes until evenly golden and crisp, then remove using a slotted spoon or skimmer.
  11. Transfer the fried vegetables to a tray lined with paper towels to drain. Continue frying the remaining vegetables in the same manner.
  12. Season with salt and serve immediately while hot and crispy.