Seafood Fritto Misto Recipe

Pat dry and portion

Rinse the rock shrimp, calamari, and sea bass under cold water and pat very dry with paper towels. Cut sea bass into 1-inch pieces. Trim calamari into rings and reserve tentacles. Keep seafood cold in the refrigerator until ready to batter.

Prepare olives and preserved lemon

Drain Castelvetrano olives and pat dry. Rinse preserved lemon to remove excess salt, then slice thinly into ribbons. Set both aside at room temperature.

Heat oil

Pour oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to a depth of about 2–3 inches. Heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small pinch of batter — it should sizzle and rise immediately without browning too fast.

Make batter

In a bowl whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. In a separate chilled bowl beat 1 cold egg briefly, then add 1 cup ice-cold sparkling water. Combine wet into dry mixture gently — do not overmix; a few lumps are fine. Batter should be slightly thin but cling to a spoon.

Dust seafood

Place 1/2 cup extra flour in a shallow bowl. Lightly dust the shrimp, calamari and sea bass pieces in the extra flour, shaking off excess. This helps the batter adhere.

Fry in batches

Working in small batches to avoid crowding, dip floured seafood pieces and olives quickly into the batter, letting excess drip off, then carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry until crisp and pale golden: shrimp and calamari 1–2 minutes, small sea bass pieces 2–3 minutes, and olives about 1–1.5 minutes. Adjust time if pieces are larger. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or on paper towels. Keep finished batches warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish frying remaining batches.

Final crisp

If any pieces are not evenly golden, return for a brief 20–30 second fry to crisp. Season immediately with a light sprinkle of fine sea salt after each batch.

In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Calabrian chile paste, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp minced garlic and 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil. Whisk until smooth and season with 1/4 tsp salt to taste. Adjust heat or acidity by adding more Calabrian paste or lemon juice. Chill until ready to serve.

In another bowl mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon tomato paste, 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 tsp minced garlic, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika and 1/8 tsp salt. Whisk until uniform and refrigerate briefly so flavors meld.

On a warm platter arrange the fried seafood and olives in an even layer. Garnish with reserved preserved lemon ribbons and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and both dipping sauces (Calabrian on one side, salsa rosa aioli on the other).

Serve notes: For best texture serve within 10–15 minutes of frying. Leftovers can be reheated in a 375°F (190°C) oven on a rack for 6–8 minutes to restore crispness, but fresh is best.