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Valentino's fritto misto

Time1 hour
YieldsServes 6
Valentino's fritto misto
(Los Angeles Times)
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What’s your weakness? Maybe you love perfect thin-sliced onion rings, those seriously flavored, crisp-coated tangles. Maybe you’re a tempura fan, delighting in the tender, buttery texture of a thin, lightly fried slice of winter squash in its delicate golden brown wrapping.

Delicious stuff, we grant you, but one crunchy classic is pulling ahead of the pack these days. L.A. chefs have lately been going head over heels for fritto misto -- “mixed fry” in Italian. You might think the ethereal combos would be tough to replicate at home, but they’re surprisingly doable.

Today’s fritto misto tends to be lighter then the traditional Italian preparation, and chefs are using a wider range of seasonal ingredients, tossing together flavors and textures with a free hand.

In his remarkably forgiving recipe, Chris Kidder of Literati II first dips blanched baby carrots, green beans, celery root, acorn squash, portabello mushrooms and even clusters of Concord grapes in buttermilk. “It adds a nice sour tang,” he says, “and helps keep the crust crisper than regular milk.”

He then dredges the ingredients in a combination of flour and semolina, a technique he learned from Judy Rodgers, with whom he worked at Zuni Cafe. The semolina gives the fritto a wonderful crispness that doesn’t dissipate as it cools -- a real plus for the home cook who can’t be sure of perfect timing the way a restaurant staff can.

At Hungry Cat in Hollywood, David Lentz also uses buttermilk for dipping, but only for seafood, which he then dredges in Wondra flour. The Wondra, he says, makes for a crisper crust. Vegetables are dredged directly in Wondra, then dipped in beer batter before frying.

“We try to change our assortment throughout the season, and we look for differenttextured things, different shapes,” Kidder says. That’s the key to a great contemporary fritto misto: improvisation.

Paper-thin slices of lemon as well as parsley leaves and smelt are among the surprises Lentz tucks into a mixed seafood fry that also incorporates squid, prawns, zucchini and eggplant.

Fritto misto, in many ways the Italian equivalent of fish and chips, also appears at Palmeri in Brentwood, where the combination of calamari, shrimp and scallops is the perfect nibble with an aperitivo.

It has even made an appearance at Valentino in Santa Monica, where owner Piero Selvaggio has offered bite-size tidbits of shrimp, scallops, zucchini, mushrooms and calamari in paper cones during cocktail receptions at special events.

“It’s a lot of fun,” he says. “We use it as part of a little snack at the beginning.”

Selvaggio notes that fritto misto is a mainstay in every region of Italy, where it’s offered with aioli or marinara sauce for dipping. Valentino’s recipe is a traditional combination of seafood and vegetables, dipped in milk, dredged in flour and deep-fried in olive oil. A simple spicy marinara sauce accompanies. One you know the routine, this is an easy recipe and the results are fabulous, so we think it’s a good guide.

“Speed is of the utmost importance in fritto misto,” Selvaggio says. The seafood and vegetables should be prepared ahead and then, just before serving time, quickly battered, fried and whisked to the table.

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Spicy marinara sauce

1

Drain the tomatoes, reserving the liquid. Puree tomatoes in a blender, then strain. Measure the strained puree and add back enough liquid to equal two cups. Set aside.

2

Heat a medium skillet and add the oil, garlic and chile flakes. Saute a few seconds.

3

Add the tomato puree and anchovy. Simmer over low heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Season to taste. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Fritto misto

1

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan to 350 degrees. While the oil is heating, place the milk in a large bowl. Place the flour in another large bowl. Have all the ingredients on hand.

2

Dip the zucchini strips and mushrooms in milk, shaking off excess, then dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Deep-fry until crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

3

Repeat with the shrimp, scallops and calamari, dipping in milk, dredging in flour and frying until crisp and golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste. Serve in a paper cone or on a platter with spicy marinara sauce.

From Piero Selvaggio of Valentino restaurant.