Fritto Misto Recipe

Pat the calamari, shrimp, and fish pieces dry with paper towels. Remove excess moisture so the batter adheres and oil won’t splatter.

Toss the seafood lightly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Keep refrigerated until ready to batter.

Place the sliced fennel and bell pepper in a bowl and pat dry. Chill briefly if they are wet.

Combine

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp green curry paste, 1 tbsp lime (or lemon) juice, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp fish sauce, and 1/2 tsp honey. Taste and adjust seasoning.

If the aioli is too thick, thin with up to 1 tsp water, stir until smooth. Add up to 1/4 tsp more salt if needed. Refrigerate while you prepare the fritto for flavors to marry.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Add 3 tablespoons very cold sparkling water and 3 tablespoons cold beer (or additional sparkling water) to the dry mix. Stir gently with a fork until just combined — the batter should be slightly lumpy and thin enough to coat but not heavy. Keep the batter cold (set bowl in a larger bowl with ice if necessary).

Place 3/4 cup flour in a shallow dish for dredging. Lightly toss each piece of seafood and the vegetable strips in the dredging flour so they are lightly coated; shake off excess. This helps the batter cling.

In a deep, heavy pot or a deep-fryer, heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter — it should sizzle and rise immediately.

Working in small batches (do not overcrowd), dip dredged seafood and vegetable pieces into the cold batter, allowing excess to drip off, then carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry shrimp and small pieces for about 1.5–2 minutes, calamari rings 1.5–2 minutes, and fish pieces 2–3 minutes — until golden and crisp. Vegetables will usually take 1.5–2 minutes. Turn or stir gently for even coloring.

Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the fried pieces and transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet (or paper towels) to drain. Immediately sprinkle with a pinch of salt while still hot. Keep finished batches in a warm (200°F / 95°C) oven to keep crisp while you finish remaining batches.

When all batches are fried, arrange the calamari, shrimp, fish, fennel, and pepper strips on a large platter. Squeeze the juice of the halved lemon over the fritto lightly (or serve wedges on the side).

Scatter 2 tablespoons chopped parsley over the top and serve immediately with the green curry aioli and extra lemon wedges.

Recommended serving: allow diners to dip the hot, crisp pieces into the aioli. Leftovers (if any) will lose crispness and are best reheated briefly in a hot oven or air-fryer.