Ever tried fried fish the Italian way? We take traditional baccalà, or salt-dried cod, batter it, and fry it in olive oil. Then we serve it with a tangy sauce of capers and sour cream. This crisp-tender fried fish tends to fly off the plate, so you might want to double the recipe.
INGREDIENTS
For the Fish
- 1 ¾ pounds baccala, prepared
- ½ pound flour
- 2 cups sparkling water
- 1 teaspoon fresh pepper
- DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil for frying
For the Sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 (4-ounce) jar DeLallo Nonpareil Capers in Brine, drained
- 3 tablespoons DeLallo Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
DIRECTIONS
- Prepare and soak your baccala at least 3 days prior. Follow this link to learn How to Prepare your Christmas Baccala, Step by Step.
- In a large bowl, mix flour and sparkling water. Cover and let sit for 1-2 hours.
- Meanwhile, cut baccalà into strips.
- Prepare the sauce by combining sour cream, capers, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and parsley in a medium bowl. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Heat oil to 375˚F in a deep frying pan.
- Drop a few pieces of baccalà into the batter, allowing the excess to drip off just slightly. Remove cod pieces from the batter and gently drop them in the oil. Cook until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Remove fish from the oil, briefly drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve with sour cream caper sauce and lemon wedges. We like to serve this dish alongside some of our favorite olives and antipasti.
