Deep-fried vegetables Roman style

Name: Deep-fried vegetables Roman style
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: courgettes; artichokes; cauliflower; aubergine; provola cheese; eggs; plain flour; breadcrumbs

There is nothing better than a nice plate of deep-fried vegetables to accompany a drink with friends or as a pleasant summer dinner. Try to get hold of as many fresh green vegetables as you can: zucchini, eggplant, some artichoke, and add a bit of provolone cheese for some extra zest. This deep-fried dish from Rome is not a simple fry-up, but recognized as gourmet cuisine which the Romans invented to make use of all the edible scraps of the slaughtered animal, such as brains, guts and sweetbreads. According to tradition it is cooked on Christmas Eve. What better than some hot and crispy deep-fried morsels of vegetables or meat to nibble on when you getting together with friends? Learn how to cook this Roman specialty with our chef, in the video and photos, who will show you step-by-step how easy it is to prepare a great Roman fried dish.

Ingredients

courgettes 100 grams
artichokes 200 units Globe, Roman variety
cauliflower 100 grams
aubergine 100 grams
provola cheese 200 grams Smoked
eggs 5 units
plain flour
breadcrumbs

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Information

20 minutes Total time

10 minutes Active time

Serves 4 persons

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Preparation

Beat the eggs with a little salt. Flour the vegetables and the provolone cheese well. Dip the floured vegetables into the beaten egg and then coat with the breadcrumbs. Deep-fry in a wok or saucepan with 1 litre of oil until golden. Drain the fried oil and pat dry on some paper towel, then lightly salt.

Tips

As we mentioned in the introduction, this is an historical dish, part of the Roman tradition where it was known as the ‘fifth quarter’. This was because poor families sold only the prized parts of the slaughtered animal to the rich - that is, the two forequarters and the two hind quarters - leaving only scraps, the so-called ‘fifth quarter’.

Trivia

This deep-fried dish can be prepared with beer instead of water. Also, in addition to meat, you can use fried seasonal vegetables, such as broccoli, potatoes, artichokes and potatoes in the winter; or zucchini and aubergine in summer. One can also substitute fish such as cod and fruit such as apples. To fully appreciate the dish it should be served hot.