Among the cuisines of Italy that use fresh ingredients such as those offered up by the sea, and which specialise in recipes and dishes of lightness and full flavour, the city of Venice is full of interesting examples based on seafood from the lagoon. Our recipe today is something quite delightful: fried fish, including prawns and baby squid, which give your guests the pleasure of a delicious meal but which is really very easy to make. So let’s get inspired by the intoxicating freshness of our fish and then impress your guests with an authentic meal that will take them straight to the magical streets of Venice.

Put all the small fish to soak in milk for about 15 minutes. Prepare a baking tray, an oven proof dish or a large plate, whatever is convenient, and place the flour in it. Drain a few of the fish at a time and dip them in the flour, being careful not to let them stick together. Shake off any excess flour and transfer them to a deep-fat fryer or high-sided frying pan full of boiling oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes and then drain them of excess oil. Place the fish on a plate with a paper towel to dry, and salt to taste. Serve your fried fish on a small plate with some polenta or in a paper cornet.