Non-VegetarianLaziale cuisine Street Food

Filetti di Baccalà Fritti

Name: Filetti di Baccalà Fritti
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Laziale
Ingredients: 600 g baccalà (salt cod); 160 g type 00 flour (plain white flour); 200 ml sparkling mineral water; 2 g Fine sea salt; 1000 ml peanut oil; 1 unit Lemon

Thick strips of desalted salt cod coated in a light batter and fried until blistered and crisp. A quintessential Roman street food and antipasto.

🇮🇹Italy· Lazio

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 35 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 460 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 6 gathered

Servings

600 g baccalà (salt cod) — desalted, boned, and skin removed
160 g type 00 flour (plain white flour) — sifted
200 ml sparkling mineral water — ice-cold
2 g Fine sea salt — plus extra for serving
1000 ml peanut oil — for deep frying
1 unit Lemon — cut into wedges for serving

Equipment

•Deep heavy-bottomed pot
•Wire skimmer
•Whisk
•Mixing bowl
•Kitchen paper

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 460 kcal
fat: 22 g
carbs: 30 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 34 g
calories: 460 kcal

Instructions

1
Pat the desalted baccalà completely dry using clean kitchen paper.
2
Cut the fish into long, even rectangular fillets roughly two fingers wide.
3
Whisk the flour and fine sea salt together in a wide bowl.
4
Gradually pour in the ice-cold sparkling water, whisking gently until a thick, smooth batter forms.
5
Rest the batter in the refrigerator for fifteen minutes.
6
Heat the peanut oil in a deep pot until it reaches 180°C.
7
Dip each baccalà fillet into the batter, coating it completely and letting excess drip off.
8
Lower the battered fillets into the hot oil in small batches to avoid crowding.
9
Fry for four to five minutes, turning once, until the batter is crisp and pale gold.
10
Lift the fillets out with a skimmer and drain them on kitchen paper.
11
Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Chef's tips

Keep the sparkling water ice-cold so the batter crisps instantly on hitting the hot oil. Ensure the cod is completely dry before coating or the crust may separate.

Ingredient substitutions

baccalà (salt cod) → fresh thick cod or haddock fillets, though the texture will be softer
peanut oil → high-oleic sunflower oil for frying

Storage

Fried baccalà is best eaten immediately and should not be stored.

Reheating

Reheat in a preheated oven or air fryer at 200°C for five minutes to restore crispness.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Frying cod that is still wet, which makes the batter soggy and causes oil to splatter.
•Crowding the pot, which lowers the oil temperature and yields oily, limp fillets.
•Letting the cooked fillets sit before serving, which softens the crisp crust.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot straight from the fryer wrapped in brown butcher paper.Pair alongside puntarelle alla romana (dressed chicory shoots) for a classic Roman spread.