Pizza Crunch
A classic Scottish chip-shop treat featuring crisp battered cheese-and-tomato pizza deep-fried until golden, served with hot chips.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 680 kcal
Equipment
- •Deep fat fryer or large heavy pot
- •Slotted spoon or frying tongs
- •Mixing bowl
- •Whisk
- •Wire cooling rack
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 680 kcal
- fat
- 34 g
- carbs
- 74 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 19 g
- calories
- 680 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer or deep heavy-bottomed pan to 180°C.
- 2
Cut each chilled margherita pizza in half so the pieces fit easily in the oil.
- 3
Whisk the plain flour, cornflour, baking powder, and salt together in a wide mixing bowl.
- 4
Pour in the cold sparkling water and whisk briefly until a smooth, thick batter forms.
- 5
Lightly dust the pizza halves on all sides with the extra plain flour.
- 6
Submerge one floured pizza half into the batter until thoroughly coated.
- 7
Carefully lower the battered pizza into the hot oil away from you.
- 8
Deep-fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden and crisp.
- 9
Lift out with tongs and drain on a wire rack lined with greaseproof paper.
- 10
Repeat with the remaining pizza halves, allowing oil to return to 180°C between batches.
- 11
Serve immediately while hot and crisp alongside a portion of chips.
Chef's tips
Use cold, firm margherita pizzas straight from the fridge so they hold their shape during dipping and frying. Keep the sparkling water chilled to guarantee a light, crunchy batter. Do not fry too many pieces at once or the oil temperature will drop and make the crust soggy.
Ingredient substitutions
- sparkling water → ice-cold tap water or light lager
- cornflour → an equal quantity of plain flour
Storage
Best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be kept in a covered container in the fridge for up to one day.
Reheating
Reheat on a wire rack in an oven heated to 200°C for 8 to 10 minutes until sizzling and crisp.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using warm or freshly baked pizzas, which become too soft and break apart in the batter.
- •Frying at oil temperatures below 180°C, which results in a greasy coating.
- •Over-whisking the batter, which develops gluten and loses lightness.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Pizza Crunch?
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