Batter-Fried Beets
Prep Time
30 Minutes
Cook Time
60 Minutes
Yield
Serves 6
Description
Most ingredients are available in the market!
Ingredients
4 ea Beets
1 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 cup Cold Water
3 ea Egg White
4 cups Vegetable Oil
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 ea Lemon, Cut into wedges
Pinch of Grated Nutmeg
Coarse Grained Salt
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Method of Preparation
1. Wash the beets carefully and cut off the leaves.
2. Do not cut off the stems completely or the color will bleed out.
3. Place a pot of cold water over medium heat and, when the water comes to a boil, add coarse-grained salt to taste and then the whole beets.
4. Boil for about1 hour.
5. By then, the beets should be cooked but still firm.
6. Drain the beets and cool them under cold running water.
7. Peel the beets, removing the stems, and let them stand until needed.
8. Prepare the batter: sift the flour into a large bowl.
9. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix them in with a wooden spoon.
10. Make a well in the flour and add the olive oil.
11. Start mixing with a wooden spoon, incorporating some of the flour.
12. Then add the water a little at a time to prevent lumps from forming.
13. When all the water has been incorporate, sprinkle the nutmeg over the batter and mix very well.
14. Let the batter rest in a cool place for at least 1 hour.
15. Cut the beets into 1/4 in thick slices and arrange them in 1 layer on a serving dish.
16. Sprinkle the slices with salt and abundant pepper.
17. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer.
18. Line a serving dish with paper towels.
19. Beat the egg whites until stiff with a wire whisk and then gently fold them into the batter.
20. When the oil is hot, dip the beet slices in the batter one by one and put them into the fryer.
21. Cook for 30 seconds on each side.
22. Use a strainer to transfer them from the fryer to the prepared serving dish with paper towels.
23. When all the beets are cooked, remove the paper towels, sprinkle them with salt and serve hot with the lemon wedges.
Recipe Source
Giuliano Bugialli’s Foods of ITALY